Romney Campaign Press Release - Obama For America Ad Fact Check

"President Obama and his campaign can't distract voters from three years of broken promises on Medicare and our commitments to our veterans. In a week when his own supporters called his campaign attacks on free enterprise 'nauseating' and 'very disappointing,' President Obama is now trying to rewrite his record in an attempt to change the narrative on his campaign's terrible week." –Amanda Henneberg, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

VETERANS

Under President Obama, Hundreds Of Thousands Of Veterans Are Struggling To Find Work:

In April, Gulf War Era II Veterans Had An Unemployment Rate Of 9.2%. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, 5/4/12)

• Nearly One In Five Young Gulf War Era II Veterans Were Unemployed In April. ("The Employment Situation Of Veterans," Syracuse University, 5/2012)

Female Gulf War Era II Veterans Have An Even Higher Unemployment Rate At 9.9%. ("The Employment Situation Of Veterans," Syracuse University, 5/2012)

The United States Has 785,000 Unemployed Veterans. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, 5/4/12)

Veterans And Military Families Are Facing Increasing Health Care Costs Because Of President Obama's Cuts:

Obama's FY2013 Budget Cuts Military Health Care Funding By $12.9 Billion Over The Next Five Years. "In the next fiscal year, the military has outlined a $1.8 billion cut as part of a projected $48.7 billion health care budget covering 9.6 million people. The cuts would total $12.9 billion over five years. To offset the loss, retirees would pay higher enrollment fees based on how much they earn through their military pensions. Retirees and active-duty family members would pay more for pharmacy copayments, too." (Barrie Barber, "Military Retirees Could See Increase In Health Insurance Costs," Dayton Daily News, 3/30/12)

"The Administration Has Proposed Increasing The Fees And Co-Pays For Retired Service Members Covered By The Military Health Care Program, TRICARE." "With U.S. combat troops out of Iraq and a timetable set for drawing down in Afghanistan, the Pentagon is under increasing pressure to cut spending to help ease the nation's burgeoning deficit. Among other things, the administration has proposed increasing the fees and co-pays for retired service members covered by the military's health care program, TRICARE. The increases, to be phased in over four years, must be approved by Congress, which is facing the prospect of deep defense cuts already mandated by law." (Leigh Munsil, "TRICARE Cost Hikes Draw Fire," Politico, 4/4/12)

"The Pentagon Is Proposing Substantial Increases In Health Care Premiums For Working-Age Military Retirees." "Benefits for military retirees are also targeted. The Pentagon is proposing substantial increases in health care premiums for working-age military retirees. For some retirees, the premiums for TRICARE, the military health-care program, would nearly quadruple from $520 per year to $2,480 in 2017." (Tom Vanden Brook, "Pentagon Budget Calls For Cuts To Jets, Benefits," USA Today, 2/13/12)

• TRICARE Fees Will "Rise By 30 Percent To 78 Percent, Depending On Retirement Income." "The Defense Department's proposed 2013 budget calls for an increase in annual enrollment fees for retirees in Tricare Prime to rise by 30 percent to 78 percent, depending on retirement income." (Patricia Kime, "Lawmakers Warn Of Fight Over Tricare Increases," Marine Corps Times, 3/28/12)

• Some Retirees "Will See Their Health Care Costs Nearly Quadruple." "Military-age retirees who make more than $45,179 annually — a pension usually reserved for officers — will see their health care costs nearly quadruple, from $600 annually in fiscal year 2013 to $2,048 in 2017." (Nancy Youssef, "Heaviest 2013 Defense Budget Cuts Would Fall On Troops," McClatchy, 2/13/12)

Veterans' Advocates Call Increased Fees "A Significant Breach Of Faith" With Military Retirees. "Veterans' advocates denounced the proposed increases. Retired vice admiral Norb Ryan, president of the Military Officers Association of America, called it 'a significant breach of faith with those who have already completed arduous careers of 20-30 or more years in uniform.'" (Tom Vanden Brook, "Pentagon's $525B Budget Lists Cuts To Jets, Benefits," USA Today, 2/14/12)

President Obama's Post-9/11 GI Bill Has "Failed To Deliver On Its Promise" For Young Veterans:

In August 2009, Obama Promised That The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill Would Help "Those Who Have Borne The Heaviest Burden Lead Us Into The 21^st Century." "In early August of 2009, President Barack Obama stood with a group of young soldiers at George Mason University in Virginia and proudly announced that the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which he'd sponsored in the Senate, had taken effect. 'This is not simply a debt that we are repaying to the remarkable men and women who have served,' Obama said of the bill, which provides tuition and housing support to veterans. 'We are letting those who have borne the heaviest burden lead us in to the 21st century.'" (Rosie Gray, "For Thousands Of Veterans, The New G.I. Bill Isn't Working," BuzzFeed, 3/8/12)

"Three Years Later, The Bill Has Failed To Deliver On Its Promise For Tens Of Thousands Of Young Veterans" Who Are Now "Dipping Into Their Savings, Facing Eviction, And Taking Out Loans To Get By." "Three years later, the bill has failed to deliver on its promise for tens of thousands of young veterans, according to interviews with students and administrators. Student veterans from across the country report that the Department of Veterans Affairs simply hasn't paid their tuition yet this semester, or that it just arrived, months late. Promised housing stipends, too, remain unpaid. Veterans are dipping into their savings, facing eviction, and taking out loans to get by. The culprit appears to be simple staffing shortages and bureaucratic sluggishness, but the consequences have been intensely disruptive." (Rosie Gray, "For Thousands Of Veterans, The New G.I. Bill Isn't Working," BuzzFeed, 3/8/12)

"The VA Has Backlogs Of Tens Of Thousands Of Unprocessed Claims From The Nearly 700,000 Veterans" Seeking Benefits. "There is no national tally of delayed benefits, but people familiar with the process say that the VA has backlogs of tens of thousands of unprocessed claims from the nearly 700,000 veterans who have taken advantage of the new rules since they became law two years ago. This year, the VA says it's received spring 2012 enrollments from 406,855 veterans." (Rosie Gray, "For Thousands Of Veterans, The New G.I. Bill Isn't Working," BuzzFeed, 3/8/12)

And Veterans Can't Be Happy With President Obama's "Devastating" Defense Cuts That Could Total As High As $1 Trillion:

Obama's FY 2013 Budget Cuts Defense Spending By $487 Billion Over The Next Ten Years. "An array of military programs, from fighter jets to retiree benefits, would be nicked to squeeze savings in the Pentagon's $525 billion budget for 2013, according to officials and documents released Monday. The proposed 2013 budget represents the Pentagon's first installment in a plan to reduce its projected spending by $487 billion over 10 years. Congress must approve the changes." (Tom Vanden Brook "Pentagon Budget Calls For Cuts To Jets, Benefits," USA Today, 2/13/12)

• "The Pentagon Could Be Forced To Slash An Extra $600 Billion" Under Sequestration, Cutting A Total Of $1 Trillion From The Defense Budget. "Those cuts could soon swell substantially. If Obama and Congress cannot agree on another package of spending reductions or tax increases by next January, the Pentagon could be forced to slash an extra $600 billion over 10 years." (Craig Whitlock, "Pentagon Budget Set To Shrink Next Year," The Washington Post, 1/26/12)

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Says Defense Cuts Will Result In The "Smallest Ground Force Since 1940, The Smallest Number Of Ships Since 1915 And The Smallest Air Force In Its History." "Defense Secretary Leon Panetta spelled out a doomsday scenario Monday that he said could occur if Congress fails to take action to avoid a $1 trillion cut in defense spending over the next decade. Panetta, responding to a letter from Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsay Graham, said cuts of nearly $100 billion a year would leave the United States with its smallest ground force since 1940, the smallest number of ships since 1915 and the smallest air force in its history." (David Alexander, "Panetta Spells Out Budget Cut Doomsday Fears," Reuters, 11/14/11)

• "'The Impacts Of These Cuts Would Be Devastating For The Department,' Panetta Wrote Monday In His Letter, Which Was Released By The Senators." (David Alexander, "Panetta Spells Out Budget Cut Doomsday Fears," Reuters, 11/14/11)

The Effects From Defense Cuts Would "'Seriously Damage' Military Readiness." "'We would also be forced to separate many of our civilian personnel involuntarily and, because the reduction would be imposed so quickly, we would almost certainly have to furlough civilians in order to meet the target,' he added, saying that such a move would 'seriously damage' military readiness." (David Alexander, "Panetta Spells Out Budget Cut Doomsday Fears," Reuters, 11/14/11)

MEDICARE

Obamacare Cuts More Than Half A Trillion Dollars From Medicare To Fund Massive New Spending:

Medicare Chief Actuary Richard Foster Estimated That Obama's Government Takeover Of Health Care Will Cut Medicare By $575 Billion. (CMS Chief Actuary Richard S. Foster, "Estimated Financial Effects Of The 'Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act,' As Amended," Memo, 4/22/10)

• Obamacare Cut Medicare By 6 Percent. "If the debt committee hits a dead end, the agreement between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders decrees an automatic 2 percent cut to Medicare providers. That's on top of a 6 percent cut already enacted to finance the president's health care law, according to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. And the earlier cut is still being phased in." ("Advocates, Industry Fear Debt Deal Could Open The Way For Big Cuts To Medicare And Medicaid," The Associated Press, 8/2/11)

Medicare Chief Actuary Says Obamacare's Cuts To Medicare Are "Unrealistic" And Unsustainable. "Richard Foster, the chief actuary of Medicare, testified before the House Budget Committee said that the cuts to medical providers set by President Obama's national health care law were unrealistic. 'It's prety hard to imagine they could be sustainable,' Foster said, under questioning from Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis." (Philip Klein, "Medicare's Chief Actuary Says ObamaCare's Cuts To The Program Likely Unsustainable," The Washington Examiner, 7/13/11)

President Obama Slashed Funding For Medicare Advantage That Will Lead To An "Exodus" From The Program:

Obamacare "Slashes" Approximately $145 Billion From Medicare Advantage. "ObamaCare slashes about $145 billion from Medicare Advantage, the program that allows one of four seniors to escape the traditional entitlement and choose commercial plans. This was a central plank of the Affordable Care Act, touted by everyone from former White House budget maven Peter Orszag to Democrats on Capitol Hill." (Editorial, "Medicare's Obama Donation," The Wall Street Journal, 4/23/12)

Obamacare Will Result In As Many As 50 Percent Of Seniors Enrolled In Medicare Advantage To Be Dropped. "The White House is launching its latest Willy Loman campaign to resell ObamaCare, helped by $125 million that unions and other interest groups say they'll spend to make Americans love their new entitlement. Seniors in particular should curb their enthusiasm . ... Advantage gives almost one of four seniors private insurance options, and Democrats are about to cut its funding by some $136 billion over the next decade even as health costs rise. The Congressional Budget Office says these cuts will cause enrollment to drop by 35%, the Administration's own Medicare actuaries predict 50%, and both outfits take for granted that benefits will also decline." (Editorial, "Farewell, Medicare Advantage," The Wall Street Journal, 6/11/10)

Obamacare's Medicare Cuts Will Lead To An "Exodus" From Medicare Advantage And Leave Seniors With "Higher Out-Of-Pocket Costs." "In addition to flagging provider cuts as potentially unsustainable, the report [HHS] projected that reductions in payments to private Medicare Advantage plans would trigger an exodus from the popular alternative. Enrollment would plummet by about 50 percent. Seniors leaving the private plans would still have health insurance under traditional Medicare, but many might face higher out-of-pocket costs." (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, "Report Says Health Care Will Cover More, Cost More," The Associated Press, 4/23/10)

And President Obama Failed To Deliver On His Promise To Save Medicare For Future Generations:

In January 2009, President-Elect Obama Warned That "The Real Problem With Our Long-Term Deficit Actually Has To Do With Our Entitlement Obligations ... It Is Just Not Sustainable." OBAMA: "And, you know, I think everybody here is familiar enough with the budget problems to know that as bad as these deficits that we're running up over the next -- that have already been run up have been, and despite the cost of both TARP and the stimulus, the real problem with our long-term deficit actually has to do with our entitlement obligations and the fact that historically if our revenues range between 18 and 20 percent of GDP, they are now at 16, it is just not sustainable." (President-Elect Barack Obama, Remarks to The Washington Post Editorial Board, 1/15/09)

President Obama Has Failed To Propose "Meaningful Reforms In Entitlements." "His budget also proposes no meaningful reforms in entitlements, which are the fastest growing part of the budget and will grow even faster once ObamaCare really kicks in." (Editorial, "The Amazing Obama Budget," The Wall Street Journal, 2/14/12)

President Obama Has Proposed "Only Minimal Curbs On The Unsustainable Growth Of Medicare." "[The budget proposal] avoids sacrifice with only minimal curbs on the unsustainable growth of Medicare even as it proposes a 10-year, $61 billion 'financial crisis responsibility fee' on big banks to recoup the 2008 Wall Street bailout." (Andrew Taylor "Obama Budget: New Spending With Recycled Tax Ideas," The Associated Press, 2/11/12)