This IS important

Bill Clinton said this last night:

“They also want to block-grant Medicaid, and cut it by a third over the coming 10 years. Of course, that’s going to really hurt a lot of poor kids. But that’s not all. Lot of folks don’t know it, but nearly two-thirds of Medicaid is spent on nursing home care for Medicare seniors who are eligible for Medicaid. … And a lot of that money is also spent to help people with disabilities, including a lot of middle-class families whose kids have Down syndrome or autism or other severe conditions. And honestly, let’s think about it, if that happens, I don’t know what those families are going to do.”

What? Isn't Medicaid for, you know, lazy bums who don't want a job? Isn't that why Romney & Ryan, Inc., feel they can attack it freely? Well, no - although yes.

Just over one quarter of Medicaid's beneficiaries are able-bodied, poor adults. 10% are elderly, 15% are severely disabled, and 49% are children. Those kids get around 20% of Medicaid's payout; 42% goes to the disabled and 25% to elderly, mostly in nursing homes and care facilities, for a combined 67%. Nearly half of all nursing home cost in the US is paid by Medicaid - more than 60% in many states. (Sources: the Hastings Center, Kaiser Family Foundation (via TPM))

A heads up, America: nursing homes are not cheap. Contemplate being 60 and trying to take care of your 85- or 90-year-old parents on your vouchers.

As Bill said: This is important. Think about it.