Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) is doubling down in his defense of ObamaCare with a new ad saying the law’s Medicare cuts eliminated waste in the program.
Pryor, considered one of 2014’s most vulnerable incumbents, has now cut two television spots that paint ObamaCare as a positive force without specifically mentioning the law.
{mosads}”Insurance companies were charging $115 for every $100 of services, ripping off taxpayers,” Pryor tells the camera in the new ad.
“Cutting this waste adds years to the life of Medicare and provides for more doctor visits and preventative care. … I approve this message because making sure seniors get the care they need is responsible,” he adds.
Pryor’s opponent, Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), has blasted the two-term senator by suggesting he backed cutting Medicare benefits by voting for the healthcare law.
The roughly $716 billion in cuts to Medicare come as the program’s costs grow at a slower rate over time.
The biggest reductions would hit hospital payments and Medicare Advantage, the private alternative to traditional Medicare that spends more per patient. The cuts would not directly hit benefits.