Romney Declines Medicare Coverage, Confirming “1%er” Label

Gov. Mitt Romney turned 65 this week and, strangely, announced that he won’t be signing up for Medicare to stay on private insurance.  In doing so he served up another softball for Obama and his opponents for the nomination.

The decision puts Romney in a tiny minority: the vast majority of seniors choose to participate in Medicare.  Nearly all seniors are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A, which covers hospital care — but they can choose not to use it.  But 95 percent of seniors choose to enroll in Medicare Part B, which covers physician services, once they’re eligible, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Medicare is likely to be a significant issue in the presidential race, and Democrats will use Romney’s decision to demonstrate that he is out of touch with the average American senior. They’re already preparing to hammer him over his promises to transform Medicare with a plan similar to the one proposed by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan.

You’d think a candidate with relatability issues like Romney has would be looking for any opportunity to have a prop like a Medicare card to wave and say “I’m one of you.”  Instead, he’s only confirming his status as a “1%er” who’s dangerously out of touch with average Americans.  This strikes me as the healthcare equivalent of his recent gaffe that his wife drives “a couple of Cadillacs” — “we have Cadillac insurance, too — you folks take the bus.” Man, this guy has a tin ear for how his wealth plays among the public.