DES MOINES - Obama for America Iowa today released a new ad called "Personal" that highlights the President's commitment to preserving Medicare for today's seniors and for future generations. As a president who was raised by his grandparents, he understands the importance of Medicare - which is why fighting Medicare fraud has long been a top priority for him.

As part of that effort, President Obama is leading the most successful crackdown on health care fraud in our country's history. The Obama Administration extended the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by, among other measures, cutting waste and subsidies in addition to recovering more than $4 billion dollars from health care scams last year alone.

While President Obama is standing by America's seniors and strengthening Medicare, Mitt Romney would end the program as we know it and likely make seniors pay more for health care. Romney wants to turn Medicare into a voucher program to help pay for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, which would move our country backwards and hurt the middle class. That's why President Obama is running for re-election -- to move our country forward because America cannot afford to go back.

Please click HERE to watch the ad.


Visual

Audio

Back Up

Senior couple walking outdoors

Female VO: To you and your loved ones...

 

 

Senior woman looking into camera

...Medicare is personal.

 

President Obama with his grandparents

And to a President raised by his grandparents...

Obama's Grandparents Raised Him From The Age Of 10, "The Stable Center Of His Life." "Obama was 10 years old when he moved in with his two middle-American grandparents who would raise him and become the stable center of his life. Looking at a photo, Obama said he saw the joy of his early childhood. Both grandparents came from Kansas. His grandfather was a World War II veteran who had come to Hawaii to find better work." [ABC News, 9/26/08]

President Obama at Oval Office desk

...it's personal, too.

President Obama: My Grandparents "Relied On Medicare And Social Security" To Supplement Their Income When They Got Old. "My grandparents relied on Medicare and Social Security to help supplement their income when they got old." [Facebook Town Hall Meeting, 04/20/11]

President Obama shaking hands with senior woman

 

Men talking in silhouette

 

"Obama Gets Tough on Health Care Fraud"

New York Times, 3/10/2010

 

 

And starts with protecting your Medicare from health care scam artists who prey on seniors.

New York Times Headline: Obama Gets Tough On Health Care Fraud. [New York Times, 03/10/10]

 

Between 2009 And 2011, Convictions Under The Health Care Fraud And Abuse Control Program Increased By Over 27 Percent And The Number Of Defendants Facing Criminal Charges Filed By Federal Prosecutors In 2011 Increased 74 Percent Compared With 2008. "Convictions under the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program increased by over 27 percent (583 to 743) between 2009 and 2011, and the number of defendants facing criminal charges filed by federal prosecutors in 2011 increased by 74 percent compared with 2008 (1430 vs. 821)." [Healthcare.gov, 02/14/12]

President Obama in Rose Garden

 

Law enforcement officials leading handcuffed inmate down prison hallway

 

 

President Obama

The Most Successful Crackdown

on Health Care Fraud in U.S. History

BusinessWeek, 2/14/12

President Obama is leading the most successful crackdown on health care fraud ever.

Businessweek: The Obama Administration Recovered $4.1 Billion In Health Care Fraud, "A Record." "Federal authorities say they recovered $4.1 billion in health care fraud judgments last year, a record high which officials on Monday credited to new tools for cracking down on deceitful Medicare claims. The recovered funds are up roughly 50 percent from 2009." [BusinessWeek, 02/14/12]

In Fiscal Year 2011, Federal Prosecutors Filed Criminal Charges Against 1,430 Defendants For Health Care Fraud Related Crimes, The Highest Number Of Health Care Fraud Defendants Charged In A Single Year In The History Of The Justice Department. "Including strike force matters, federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against a total of 1,430 defendants for health care fraud related crimes.  This is the highest number of health care fraud defendants charged in a single year in the department's history." [Department of Health and Human Services, 02/14/2012]

Courtroom interior

 

 

 

 

Fight Against Health Care Fraud

Recovers $4.1 Billion

USA Today, 2/14/12

Already recovered four-billion dollars from health care scams last year alone...

USA Today: The Obama Administration Recovered A "Record-Breaking $4.1 Billion In Health Care Fraud Money During 2011." "Investigators recovered a record-breaking $4.1 billion in health care fraud money during 2011, a reflection of the Obama administration's increased focus on fighting fraud, Justice Department officials announced Tuesday." [USA Today, 02/14/12]

In Fiscal Year 2011, The Obama Administration Recovered Approximately $4.1 Billion In Health Care Fraud, The Highest Annual Amount Ever Recovered. "Attorney General Eric Holder and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report showing that the government's health care fraud prevention and enforcement efforts recovered nearly $4.1 billion in taxpayer dollars in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011.  This is the highest annual amount ever recovered from individuals and companies who attempted to defraud seniors and taxpayers or who sought payments to which they were not entitled. " [Department of Health and Human Services, 02/14/12]

 

Grandparent cooking with grandchildren

...to preserve Medicare now and for the future.

The Affordable Care Act's Reforms To Crack Down On Fraud And Abuse In Medicare Are Among A Number Of Measures To Save Medicare $200 Billion Through 2016. "The Affordable Care Act: Achieves short-term savings of over $200 billion in Medicare through 2016 according to the independent CMS Actuary...resulting in immediate benefit to the Medicare Trust Fund...A number of critical Medicare policies in place now are achieving huge savings for beneficiaries and taxpayers while laying the foundation for long-term success and sustainability of the program. These steps reward quality, get better value for beneficiaries and promote savings through innovation....Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse and Getting Better Value for Durable Medical Equipment: $7.8 Billion in Savings." [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 04/23/12]

 

Acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner: The Affordable Care Act Gives The Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services The Ability To Work To Guarantee The Future Of Medicare, "With Tools To Lower Costs, Fight Fraud, And Change Incentives So That Medicare Pays For Coordinated, Quality Care." "'The Trustees Report tells us that while Medicare is stable for now, we have a lot of work ahead of us to guarantee its future,' said Acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.  'The Affordable Care Act is giving CMS the ability to do this work, with tools to lower costs, fight fraud, and change incentives so that Medicare pays for coordinated, quality care and not the number of services.'" [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 04/23/12]

President Obama walking at White House

A commitment to Medicare...

President Obama: "I View Social Security And Medicare As The Most Important Social Safety Nets" We Have. "I view Social Security and Medicare as the most important social safety nets that we have. I think it is important for them to remain as social insurance programs that give people some certainty and reliability in their golden years." [Press Conference, White House Briefing Room, 07/15/11 accessed via Lexis]

Senior couple, holding hands

...as personal as yours.

 

President Obama, speaking with seniors around table

 

Obama/Biden

barackobama.com/MedicareFacts

 

Approved by Barack Obama.  Paid for by Obama for President.

POTUS: I'm Barack Obama, and I approve this message.

 

 

 

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