Vice President Joe Biden on Medicare - Blacksburg, VA

Vice President Biden continued his tour of southern and southwestern Virginia. Today he delivered remarks at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg. The Vice President shared how the Romney-Ryan plan will end Medicare and what the President is doing to protect and strengthen it.

"They make massive changes in Medicare. Turning it into a voucher system--this is mentioned. That means seniors would no longer have guaranteed Medicare. ­They get a voucher, they get a voucher to buy private insurance coverage. And you know how confusing it is to begin with."

[Laughter]

"No I'm not being facetious. They get a voucher. And because the voucher would not keep up with rising health costs, seniors would be forced to pay, based on studies, an extra $6,400 under the Ryan-Romney plan."

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"We see an America where Social Security is protected, where Medicare is available to distressed people. And where Medicare fulfills its original mission. That¹s why we¹ve strengthened Medicare, to extend its life by eight years, made reforms that have saved millions of seniors, hundreds of dollars on their prescription drugs. That¹s why we¹ve proposed reforms that save Medicare money by getting rid of wasteful spending on health care systems without cutting a single penny in Medicare benefits."