FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 1, 2012

Media contact:
Zandra Rice-Hawkins (603) 225-2471

Ovide Lamontagne: What Voucher? (Audio)

Ovide Claims Ignorance about Ryan Plan for Medicare, Despite Supporting It

CONCORD, NH – In today's NHPR debate on health care, GOP Gubernatorial candidate Ovide Lamontagne denied supporting the Romney-Ryan budget plan that would jeopardize health care for seniors by turning Medicare into a voucher system.

Ovide: “This is not what I support, voucherizing. I’ve never heard that word before.”

Paul Ryan himself has said his plan for Medicare is a voucher program. In the past Ovide Lamontagne has praised Paul Ryan’s approach.1

"Try as he may, Ovide Lamontagne cannot hide from his extreme plans to end Medicare as we know it," said Zandra Rice Hawkins, Executive Director of Granite State Progress. "Ovide supports turning Medicare into a block grant, which means states could drop seniors from coverage or lower the benefits they receive. He commends the work of Speaker Bill O'Brien, who wants to opt out of all federal health care protections and programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act."2

Following up on Ovide's statement on NHPR today, Granite State Progress has compiled a short audio compilation to help remind him where he might have heard about the Ryan voucher plan before. Audio link below or by clicking here.

References:
1 The Salem Observer, 04/19/12; New Hampshire Farm Bureau Candidate Night, August 2010
2 General Court, HB 1560, http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=2597&sy...

###

Granite State Progress is a progressive advocacy organization that addresses issues of immediate state and local concern. Granite State Progress works as a communications hub for the progressive community to provide a strong, credible voice in advancing progressive solutions to critical community problems.