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Medicare Scare Tactics

Democratic TV ads warn seniors that "right now, your Medicare coverage is in danger" of "deep, automatic cuts" by "unelected Washington bureaucrats." But those cuts, according to current estimates, wouldn't be implemented until 2023, and they would amount to a fraction of Medicare growth that year. The post Medicare Scare Tactics appeared first on FactCheck.org.

TV ads from a Democratic group warn seniors that “right now, your Medicare coverage is in danger,” claiming “deep, automatic cuts” could be made by “unelected Washington bureaucrats.” But those cuts, according to current estimates, wouldn’t be implemented until 2023, and they would amount to .002 percentage points of Medicare growth that year.

It’s true that more automatic cuts to the growth of spending are expected in future years. But like many political messages about Medicare, these ads feature scare tactics — warning of cuts that could “restrict access to doctors” and “deny care” — when we don’t yet know what any cost-cutting would entail.

The ads, from , a 501(c)(4) formed to support Democratic candidates and with the , are airing in Montana and North Dakota, in support of Democratic Sens. Jon Tester and Heidi Heitkamp. Another ad on this topic — featuring circling sharks to represent the “bureaucrats” who “want to take a bite out of your Medicare” — is airing in Indiana, in support of Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly. All three ads say these senators are working to stop these cuts, and they have co-sponsored legislation

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