#NVSen: Berkley Ad Fails to Tell the “Real Story”

Another Round of False Attacks Championing the “Lie of the Year”

(Las Vegas, NV) – In another act of desperation from a failing campaign, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley has released a new ad repeating false attacks. The ad claims that Dean Heller voted to end the Medicare guarantee, an absolutely false statement and exaggeration of Politifact’s “Lie of the Year.”

“It doesn’t matter how Shelley Berkley twists the words of the ‘Lie of the Year,’ Dean Heller never voted to end the Medicare guarantee. The Medicare guarantee exists, continues to exist, and Dean Heller never voted to take it away.  Not only has Shelley Berkley doubled down on the Lie of the Year, she just took it a step further — if that was even possible. The fact is Dean Heller voted against $500 billion in cuts to Medicare, the same cuts that Shelley Berkley supported on numerous occasions.  Shelley Berkley will say and do anything to avoid talking about her long record on job-destroying ObamaCare, the trillion dollar stimulus, and the Wall Street bailout.  This ad is just another act of desperation from a failing campaign,” said Chandler Smith, Heller for Senate spokeswoman.

Background: 

Shelley Berkley claims that Dean Heller voted to “end guaranteed Medicare coverage.”  Dean Heller never voted to end the Medicare guarantee. In fact, the Republican budget Dean Heller supported would have extended the solvency of Medicare.  Shelley Berkley, on the other hand, voted for ObamaCare, which means the insolvency date for Medicare remains at 2024, according to a 2012 Medicare Trustees report. (“The 2012 Annual Report of the Boards of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds,” April 23, 2012)

Shelley Berkley and her Democratic allies have continued to allege that Dean Heller has voted to “end Medicare” even though this was deemed Politifact’s “Lie of the Year.” (Politifact.org “Lie of the Year: Democrats Claim Republicans Voted to End Medicare,”  December 20, 2011)

Shelley Berkley supported the President’s health care law that cut $500 billion out of the Medicare program. It also created a panel of 15 unelected bureaucrats that have the power to deny health care for seniors. (House Vote 165 – HR 3590, HR3590, March 21, 2010)

In fact, the government takeover of healthcare’s cuts to Medicare could put Medicare Advantage benefits at risk, including for 110,000 Nevadans: “Seniors in a number of states risk losing their Medicare Advantage benefits because of cuts in President Obama’s healthcare reform law, according to a new report from Avalere. The law contains about $200 billion in direct and indirect cuts to private Medicare plans through 2017.” (Julian Pecquet, “Report: Healthcare law cuts put Medicare Advantage benefits at risk in some states,” The Hill’s Healthwatch Blog, 3/12/12)

Shelley Berkley voted for a 2% cut from the Medicare program which would restrict seniors’ access to care.

·         Sequestration as a result of the Budget Control Act would require Medicare cuts of up to $11 billion a year (about $140 billion over ten years) if deficit reduction targets are not reached (RC #123, 112th Congress, 1st Session).

In fact, Dean Heller has repeatedly voted to preserve the Medicare programs, voting against $1.6 trillion in proposed Medicare cuts:

·         Opposed legislation that proposed expanding the SCHIP program by cutting Medicare by nearly $200 billion (RC #787, 110th 1st Session).

·         Voted against ObamaCare, which cut half a trillion dollars from the Medicare program (RC #165, 111th Congress, 2nd Session).

·         Opposed the Budget Control Act, which provides for possible Medicare cuts of up to $11 billion a year (about $140 billion over ten years) if deficit reduction targets are not reached (RC #123, 112th Congress, 1st Session).

 Dean Heller has consistently voted to ensure physicians are properly reimbursed so they will continue participating in the Medicare program and provide necessary services for seniors.

·         (RC #1184, 110th Congress, 1st Session; RC # 443 and 491, 110th Congress, 2nd Session; RC #985 , 111th Congress, 1st Session; RC #211, #393, and #626, 111th Congress, 2nd Session; RC #232, 112th Congress, 1st Session).