Highlights:
DeSantis Said Congress Needed “To Restructure Some Of These Entitlements,” Such As Social Security. According to a transcript of CNN’s Early Start With John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin, “ROMANS: You think we’ll have a big fight over entitlements, over Social Security, over Medicare? You think that’s going to be coming up with the debt ceiling? You think that would be part of the debt ceiling negotiations? DESANTIS: Well, I think we need to restructure some of these entitlements, get in the way that they are sustainable over the long term. So, I hope we can do that. Whether that’s going to be something that’s viable, I’m not sure. I don’t sense a lot of desire amongst my friends on the other side of the aisle to really deal with that. I mean, that’s just my sense. Maybe I’m wrong. But I think we should try to look at entitlements, look at restructuring Medicare so it’s delivering services at a lower cost to the taxpayer. I think that makes sense.” [CNN’s Early Start With John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin, 1/4/13]
DeSantis Said He Was “Open To Reforms Which Take Into Account Changes In Life Expectancy” For Those In His Generation And Younger When Asked About Increasing The Social Security Eligibility Age. According to the St. Augustine Record, “Q. Do you favor increasing the age of eligibility for Social Security eventually to age 70 or older, and do you favor changing the cost-of-living formula to lower annual raises as a way of making the program more financially sound? Why or why not? […] DeSantis: We need to keep Social Security as is for seniors who depend on the program and for those who are near retirement. A promise made is a promise kept. Since the 1960s, Congress has used surpluses in the Social Security system to finance deficit-spending on programs other than Social Security. This has allowed Congress to mask the true extent of the budget deficit. Because Congress has spent money dedicated to Social Security, it will be necessary to make reforms to ensure the program’s viability for future generations.” [St. Augustine Record, 10/7/12]
DeSantis Said It Would Be “Necessary To Make Reforms” To Social Security To Ensure Viability, Such As Measures Which Would “Accurately Measure Changes In The Cost Of Living.” According to the St. Augustine Record, “Q. Do you favor increasing the age of eligibility for Social Security eventually to age 70 or older, and do you favor changing the cost-of-living formula to lower annual raises as a way of making the program more financially sound? Why or why not? […] DeSantis: We need to keep Social Security as is for seniors who depend on the program and for those who are near retirement. […] For those in my generation, I am open to reforms which take into account changes in life expectancy and which accurately measure changes in the cost of living.” [St. Augustine Record, 10/7/12]
2015: DeSantis Voted To Raise Social Security’s Full Retirement Age To 70 As Part Of The FY 2016 Republican Study Committee Budget Resolution. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for raising Social Security’s full retirement age to 70. According to the Republican Study Committee, “This budget proposes to continue a gradual increase of two months per year until the full retirement age reaches 70. Under this plan, for individuals born in 1962, the retirement age would increase to age 67 and two months. The full retirement age will reach age 70 for individuals born in 1979 or later.” The underlying budget resolution would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “provide[d] for $2.804 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2016, not including off-budget accounts. The substitute would call for reducing spending by $7.1 trillion over 10 years compared to the Congressional Budget Office baseline.” The vote was on the substitute amendment to a Budget Resolution. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 132 to 294. [House Vote 138, 3/25/15; Republican Study Committee, FY 2016 Budget; Congressional Quarterly, 3/25/15; Congress.gov, H. Amdt. 83; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 27]
2014: DeSantis Voted To Raise The Social Security Full Retirement Age From 67 To 70 In Two Month Increments; The Full Increase Would Apply To Those Born In 1979 Or Later. In April 2014, DeSantis voted for the Republican Study Committee’s proposed budget resolution for fiscal years 2015 to 2024. According to the Republican Study Committee, “As a result of the bipartisan Social Security Amendments of 1983 (P.L. 98-21), an increase of the Social Security full retirement age is being phased in over time - beginning at 65 and reaching 67 by 2022 for those born in 1960 and later. This budget proposes to continue a gradual increase of two months per year until the full retirement age reaches 70. Under this plan, for individuals born in 1962 the retirement age will be 67 and two months. The full retirement age will reach 70 for individuals born in 1979 or later.” The House considered the RSC budget as a substitute amendment to House Republicans’ FY 2015 budget resolution; the amendment was rejected by a vote of 133 to 291. [House Vote 175, 4/10/14; Republican Study Committee, 4/7/14]
2013: DeSantis Voted To Raise The Social Security Eligibility Age To 70. In March 2013, DeSantis voted to support raising the Social Security eligibility age, as part of the Republican Study Committee’s proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2014 to 2023. According to the Republican Study Committee, “This budget would slowly phase in an increase in the Social Security full retirement age for individuals born in 1962 (currently 51) and after to an eventual full retirement age of 70.” The vote was on an amendment to the House budget resolution replacing the entire budget with the RSC’s proposed budget; the amendment failed by a vote of 104 to 132 with 171 Democrats voting present. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Repeating a strategy from last year, 171 Democrats voted ‘present’ to push Republicans to vote against the RSC plan to make sure it did not have enough support to replace the Ryan plan.” [House Vote 86, 3/21/13; Republican Study Committee, 3/18/13; Congressional Quarterly, 3/25/13]
2015: DeSantis Voted To Recommend That Social Security Switch To The So-Called “Chained-CPI” To Measure Cost Of Living Adjustments As Part Of The FY 2016 Republican Study Committee Budget Resolution. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for recommending that Social Security adopt the Chained CPI. According to the Republican Study Committee, “This budget recommends switching to a more accurate index for all government programs called chained CPI-U.” The underlying budget resolution would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “provide[d] for $2.804 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2016, not including off-budget accounts. The substitute would call for reducing spending by $7.1 trillion over 10 years compared to the Congressional Budget Office baseline.” The vote was on the substitute amendment to a Budget Resolution. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 132 to 294. [House Vote 138, 3/25/15; Republican Study Committee, FY 2016 Budget; Congressional Quarterly, 3/25/15; Congress.gov, H. Amdt. 83; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 27]
2014: DeSantis Voted To Reduce The Annual Social Security Benefits COLA By Using The Chained CPI-U Index To Measure Inflation Rather Than CPI-W; Change Would Save $137 Billion Over 10 Years. In April 2014, DeSantis voted for the Republican Study Committee’s proposed budget resolution for fiscal years 2015 to 2024. According to the Republican Study Committee, “To ensure that the purchasing power of benefits stays constant each year, the Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) increases the dollar amount of benefits by a formula tied to inflation. Unfortunately, the formula uses an old index, CPI-W (the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers), that overstates the effects of inflation. This outdated policy contributes to the current program's path to bankruptcy. This budget recommends switching to a more accurate index for all government programs called chained CPI-U, which economists across the political spectrum agree tracks the effects of inflation more accurately. This more accurate index better achieves the goal of the COLA: ensuring that retirees who depend on Social Security do not see their benefits eroded by inflation. This proposal would save $137 billion over ten years, and more importantly, according to the Social Security Trustees 2013 report, would solve about 20 percent of Social Security's long-range actuarial balance.” The House considered the RSC budget as a substitute amendment to House Republicans’ FY 2015 budget resolution; the amendment was rejected by a vote of 133 to 291. [House Vote 175, 4/10/14; Republican Study Committee, 4/7/14]
2013: DeSantis Voted To Use A Chained Consumer Price Index (CPI) For Social Security Cost Of Living Adjustments. In March 2013, DeSantis voted to support raising the Social Security eligibility age, as part of the Republican Study Committee’s proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2014 to 2023. According to the Republican Study Committee, “This budget recommends switching to a more accurate index, chained CPI U, which economists across the political spectrum agree tracks the effects of inflation more accurately. Chained CPI U also better achieves the goal of the COLA: ensuring that retirees who depend on Social Security do not see their benefits eroded by inflation. This proposal saves $127 billion over ten years, and more importantly, according to the Social Security Trustees 2012 report, this would solve 20 percent of Social Security’s long range actuarial balance.” The vote was on an amendment to the House budget resolution replacing the entire budget with the RSC’s proposed budget; the amendment failed by a vote of 104 to 132 with 171 Democrats voting present. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Repeating a strategy from last year, 171 Democrats voted ‘present’ to push Republicans to vote against the RSC plan to make sure it did not have enough support to replace the Ryan plan.” [House Vote 86, 3/21/13; Republican Study Committee, 3/18/13; Congressional Quarterly, 3/25/13]
Chained CPI Would Result In A Compounding Cut Of Benefits To Seniors. According to the AARP, “Initially, the 0.3 percent annual cut in Social Security COLAs exacted by a chained CPI may look small, but it compounds over time. The greatest impact of the COLA cut will be on those who receive benefits over a long period of time; the oldest retirees and the long-term disabled. According to the National Women’s Law Center, ‘(f)or an individual who receives a monthly benefit of $1,100 per month at age 65, the chained CPI would reduce benefits by $56 per month ($672 annually) at age 80,’ which is equivalent to losing one week’s worth of food each month. The chained CPI would cut one full month’s income each year from a 92-year-old beneficiary’s annual Social Security benefits.” [AARP, 8/12/13]
2013: CBPP Estimated That Change Would Reduce Each Yearly COLA By 0.25 Percent. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Shifting to the chained CPI would reduce annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) by about 0.25 percentage points a year for all three illustrative retirees, according to Congressional Budget Office projections.[3] At age 70, each retiree’s annual benefit would be about 2.0 percent less than under current law. At age 75, his or her benefit would be 3.2 percent less than under current law.” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/9/13]
2018: Ron DeSantis Voted To Amend The Constitution Where The Federal Government Must Have A Balanced Budget Unless Three-Fifths Of The House And The Senate Approve Of A Deficit, Except During War. In April 2018, Ron DeSantis voted for a resolution that would have added a balanced budget requirement to the Constitution. According to Congressional Quarterly, the joint resolution would have “propose[d] a constitutional amendment that would require the U.S. government to operate under a balanced budget each year, beginning five years after ratification. Under the proposal, three-fifths of the entire House and Senate would [have] be[en] required to approve deficit spending or an increase in the public debt limit, but a simple majority would [have] be[en] sufficient to waive the requirement in times of congressionally declared war or in the face of a serious military threat.” The vote was on a motion to suspend the rules and pass the resolution, which required a two-thirds majority to pass. The House rejected the motion by a vote of 233 to 184. [House Vote 138, 4/12/18; Congressional Quarterly, 4/12/18; Congressional Actions, H. J. Res. 2]
Florida Politics Headline: “Ron DeSantis Flip Flops On Medicare, Social Security Cuts.” [Florida Politics, 3/2/23]
DeSantis Distanced Himself From Previous Support For Social Security Privatization: “We’re Not Going To Mess With Social Security As Republicans.” According to CNN, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday distanced himself from his past support for privatizing Social Security and raising the retirement age as potential future political foes seize on his previous ideas for the popular retirement program. ‘We’re not going to mess with Social Security as Republicans,’ DeSantis told Fox News. ‘I think that that’s pretty clear.’” [CNN, 3/2/23]
DeSantis Dismissed Blaming Social Security Or Medicare For “Budget Woes” In Response To Question About Raising The Retirement Age. According to CNN, “But Thursday, in his latest of several appearances promoting his book, DeSantis was asked by Fox News host Dana Perino about a proposal to raise the retirement age for federal benefits to 70. He pivoted to criticizing President Joe Biden’s past votes on Social Security before appearing to dismiss concerns about the long-term financial outlook of federal entitlement programs. ‘There’s a lot of the budget people used to say, they would blame Social Security or Medicare for budget woes. But the reality is they have printed trillions and trillions of dollars, and that has really fueled the inflation,’ the governor said.” [CNN, 3/2/23]
CNN Reported DeSantis Was In-Favor Of Privatizing Medicare And Social Security During His 2012 House Campaign. According to CNN, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed support for privatizing Medicare and Social Security during his first campaign for Congress in 2012, giving political rivals who have pledged to protect the programs an opening to attack him ahead of DeSantis’ expected run for president in 2024. […] A CNN KFile review of comments from DeSantis’ 2012 congressional campaign found he repeatedly said he supported plans to replace Medicare with a system in which the government paid for partial costs of private plans or a traditional Medicare plan. In one interview with a local newspaper, DeSantis said he supported ‘the same thing’ for Social Security, citing the need for ‘market forces’ to restructure the program.” [CNN, 2/9/23]
DeSantis’ Previous Position On Privatizing Medicare And Social Security Could Fuel Attacks From Other 2024 Hopefuls. According to CNN, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed support for privatizing Medicare and Social Security during his first campaign for Congress in 2012, giving political rivals who have pledged to protect the programs an opening to attack him ahead of DeSantis’ expected run for president in 2024. Former President Donald Trump and Democrats have already signaled plans to weaponize DeSantis’ comments against him, should he announce for president, and subsequent votes in Congress for non-binding budget resolutions that privatized Medicare and raised the retirement age to 70.” [CNN, 2/9/23]
2012: DeSantis Supported Paul Ryan Privatization Budget Proposals Under Which The Government Would Subsidize Seniors By Paying Partially For Private Plans Or Medicare Plans. According to CNN, “During his 2012 campaign, DeSantis embraced then-Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget which became a political football in the 2012 presidential race, when Ryan was chosen as Mitt Romney’s pick for vice president. Democrats argued in 2012 Ryan’s budget plans turned Medicare into a ‘voucher’ system, whereas Republicans called it ‘premium support.’ Under the proposals, the government would subsidize seniors by partially paying for private plans or a traditional Medicare plan.” [CNN, 2/9/23]
DeSantis: “I Would Embrace Proposals Like Paul Ryan Offered” On Medicare, Said He Would “Do The Same Thing” To Social Security As Well. According to CNN, “‘I would embrace proposals like [Rep.] Paul Ryan offered, and other people have offered, that are going to provide some market forces in there, more consumer choice, and make it so that it’s not just basically a system that’s just going to be bankrupt when you have new people coming into it,’ DeSantis told the St. Augustine Record in a video that was posted on YouTube at the time. ‘Social Security, I would do the same thing,’ he added, later saying it was ‘unsustainable’ to allow seniors to retire in their late 60s.” [CNN, 2/9/23]
2015: DeSantis Voted For The FY 2016 Budget Resolution Which Called For Changing Medicare For Those Who Enter The Program Beginning In 2024 To A Voucher System. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for the FY 2016 budget resolution which called for changing Medicare for future beneficiaries to a voucher system. According to Congressional Quarterly, “the current fee-for-service Medicare program and its benefits would remain in place for people who enter the program before 2024. For new Medicare enrollees beginning in 2024, the budget envisions Medicare competing against private health care plans in a ‘premium support’ system where individuals would choose which health insurance plan they want for coverage through a new Medicare exchange, with the government making premium-support payments to the health plan to help pay for an individual's insurance premium.” The vote was on the budget resolution. The House passed the resolution 228 to 199. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 142, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res. 27; Congressional Actions, S.Con.Res. 11]
2015: DeSantis Voted For A FY 2016 Budget Resolution Which Called For Changing Medicare For Those Who Enter The Program Beginning In 2024 To A Voucher System. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for a FY 2016 Budget Resolution which called for changing Medicare for future beneficiaries to a voucher system. According to Congressional Quarterly, “the current fee-for-service Medicare program and its benefits would remain in place for people who enter the program before 2024. For new Medicare enrollees beginning in 2024, the budget envisions Medicare competing against private health care plans in a ‘premium support’ system where individuals would choose which health insurance plan they want for coverage through a new Medicare exchange, with the government making premium-support payments to the health plan to help pay for an individual's insurance premium.” The vote was on the adopting the substitute amendment. The House passed the amendment 219 to 208 and later passed the budget resolution. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 141, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res. 27; Congressional Actions, S.Con.Res. 11]
2015: DeSantis Voted For A FY 2016 Budget Resolution Which Called For Changing Medicare For Those Who Enter The Program Beginning In 2024 To A Voucher System. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for a FY 2016 Budget Resolution which called for changing Medicare for future beneficiaries to a voucher system. According to Congressional Quarterly, “the current fee-for-service Medicare program and its benefits would remain in place for people who enter the program before 2024. For new Medicare enrollees beginning in 2024, the budget envisions Medicare competing against private health care plans in a ‘premium support’ system where individuals would choose which health insurance plan they want for coverage through a new Medicare exchange, with the government making premium-support payments to the health plan to help pay for an individual's insurance premium.” The vote was on the adopting the substitute amendment. The House rejected the amendment 105 to 319. The House later adopted a substitute amendment identical to this except for a change in defense spending and then later passed the budget resolution. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 140, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/30/15; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res. 27; Congressional Actions, S.Con.Res. 11]
2015: DeSantis Voted To Transition Medicare To A Premium-Support Program, Instead Of A Guaranteed Benefit Program As Part Of The FY 2016 Republican Study Committee Budget Resolution. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for transforming Medicare to a premium support system in 2020. According to the Republican Study Committee, “Beginning in 2020, our budget gradually transforms Medicare into a health insurance program similar both to the system that federal employees enjoy and to the current Medicare Part D. These programs allow participants to choose among health and prescription drug plans provided on a regulated exchange. Changes would only apply to individuals born in 1955 or later. Those born prior to 1955 would have the choice of opting into the new system.” The underlying budget resolution would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “provide[d] for $2.804 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2016, not including off-budget accounts. The substitute would call for reducing spending by $7.1 trillion over 10 years compared to the Congressional Budget Office baseline.” The vote was on the substitute amendment to a Budget Resolution. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 132 to 294. [House Vote 138, 3/25/15; Republican Study Committee, FY 2016 Budget; Congressional Quarterly, 3/25/15; Congress.gov, H. Amdt. 83; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 27]
2013: DeSantis Voted For Replacing Medicare With A Premium Support Plan As Part Of The FY 2014 Ryan Budget. In March 2013, DeSantis voted for replacing Medicare with a premium support plan, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2014 to 2023 According to the House Budget Committee, “Beginning in 2024, for those workers born in 1959 or later, Medicare would offer them a choice of private plans competing alongside the traditional fee-for-service option on a new Medicare Exchange. Medicare would provide a premium-support payment either to pay for or to offset the premium of the plan chosen by the senior.” The resolution passed the House by a vote of 221 to 207. [House Vote 88, 3/21/13; House Budget Committee, 3/12/13]
2013: DeSantis Voted To Replace Medicare With A Premium Support Plan. In March 2013, DeSantis voted to support replacing Medicare with a premium support plan, as part of the Republican Study Committee’s proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2014 to 2023. According to the Republican Study Committee, “Beginning in 2019, enrollees in the newly created private insurance market would receive premium subsidies to offset the cost of their health insurance policies. Seniors can direct this premium support payment to the plan of their choice offered on a regulated exchange. This includes private plans as well as Medicare’s traditional fee for service option.” The vote was on an amendment to the House budget resolution replacing the entire budget with the RSC’s proposed budget; the amendment failed by a vote of 104 to 132 with 171 Democrats voting present. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Repeating a strategy from last year, 171 Democrats voted “present” to push Republicans to vote against the RSC plan to make sure it did not have enough support to replace the Ryan plan.” [House Vote 86, 3/21/13; Republican Study Committee, 3/18/13; Congressional Quarterly, 3/25/13]
2015: DeSantis Voted Against Instructing House Conferees To Not Support Changing Medicare To A Premium Support System. In April 2015, DeSantis voted against a motion that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “instruct[ed] House conferees to recede from disagreement with the Senate with respect to a section in the fiscal 2016 Senate budget resolution relating to paid sick time, and recede from a provision in the House amendment that would assume changing Medicare to provide premium support payments.” The underlying legislation was the FY 2016 budget resolution. The House rejected the motion by a vote of 187 to 239. [House Vote 153, 4/14/15; Congressional Quarterly, 4/14/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]
2017: DeSantis Voted For The GOP FY 2018 Budget Resolution, Which Called For Cutting Medicare By $473 Billion. In October 2017, DeSantis voted for a budget resolution that would have, according to The Hill, “The spending blueprint is key to Republicans’ efforts to pass tax reform because it includes instructions that will allow the plan to avoid a Democratic filibuster. […] The budget, meant to outline spending for the fiscal year, was widely viewed as a mere vehicle for passing tax reform. […] The budget would allow the Senate GOP’s tax plan to add up to $1.5 trillion to the deficit over a decade, a proposal that has raised concerns with fiscal hawks in the GOP. Its instructions call for the Senate Finance Committee to report a tax bill by Nov. 13. Still, the document outlines the Senate GOP’s political vision. It maintains spending at 2017 levels for the year, but would then cut nondefense spending in subsequent years, leading to a $106 billion cut in 2027. It would also allow defense levels to continue rising at their current rates, reaching $684 billion at the end of a decade. The resolution also proposes $473 billion in cuts to Medicare’s baseline spending over a decade and about $1 trillion from Medicaid, though those provisions are not enforceable without additional legislation.” The vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment. The House agreed to the motion, thereby agreeing to the budget by a vote of 216 to 212. [House Vote 589, 10/26/17; The Hill, 10/19/17; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 71]
2015: DeSantis Voted To Make $430 Billion In Unexplained Cuts To Medicare, As Part Of The FY 2016 Conference Report Budget Resolution. In April 2015, DeSantis voted for the FY 2016 conference report budget resolution which, according to the Congressional Conference Report, “The agreement proposes the same amount of Medicare savings reflected in the Senate-passed fiscal year 2016 budget as a target to extend the life of the Hospital Insurance trust fund and tasks the committees of jurisdiction in the House and Senate with determining the specific Medicare reforms needed to bring spending levels under current law in line with the budget.” According to Bloomberg, the Senate’s original budget, “avoided a plan to partially privatize Medicare that the U.S. House of Representatives embraced in its budget [and] instead call[ed] for $430 billion in spending cuts without explaining where they would be made.” The vote was on the Conference Report; the Conference Report passed by a vote of 226 to 197. [House Vote 183, 4/30/15; Conference Report, 4/29/15; Bloomberg, 3/27/15]
2015: DeSantis Voted For The FY 2016 Budget Resolution, Which Called For Increasing The Medicare Eligibility Age To 67 Beginning In 2024. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for the FY 2016 budget resolution which, according to Congressional Quarterly, “To reduce the growth rate of Medicare costs in the future […] the budget would also begin raising the age for eligibility so it corresponds with Social Security's age requirement, eventually reaching the age of 67. The current eligibility age for Medicare is 65.” The vote was on the budget resolution. The House passed the resolution 228 to 199. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 142, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res. 27; Congressional Actions, S.Con.Res. 11]
2015: DeSantis Voted To Increase Medicare’s Eligibility Age To 67 As Part Of The FY 2016 Republican Study Committee Budget Resolution. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for increasing Medicare’s eligibility age to 67. According to the Republican Study Committee, “this budget proposes raising the age of Medicare eligibility by two months every year beginning with those born in 1960 until the eligibility age reaches 67.” The underlying budget resolution would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “provide[d] for $2.804 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2016, not including off-budget accounts. The substitute would call for reducing spending by $7.1 trillion over 10 years compared to the Congressional Budget Office baseline.” The vote was on the substitute amendment to a Budget Resolution. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 132 to 294. [House Vote 138, 3/25/15; Republican Study Committee, FY 2016 Budget; Congressional Quarterly, 3/25/15; Congress.gov, H. Amdt. 83; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 27]
2015: DeSantis Voted For A FY 2016 Budget Resolution, Which Called For Increasing The Medicare Eligibility Age To 67 Beginning In 2024. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for a FY 2016 Budget Resolution which called for changing Medicare for future beneficiaries to a voucher system. According to Congressional Quarterly, “To reduce the growth rate of Medicare costs in the future […] the budget would also begin raising the age for eligibility so it corresponds with Social Security's age requirement, eventually reaching the age of 67. The current eligibility age for Medicare is 65.” The vote was on adopting the substitute amendment. The House passed the amendment 219 to 208 and later passed the budget resolution. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 141, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res. 27; Congressional Actions, S.Con.Res. 11]
2015: DeSantis Voted For A FY 2016 Budget Resolution, Which Called For Increasing The Medicare Eligibility Age To 67 Beginning In 2024. In March 2015, DeSantis voted for a FY 2016 Budget Resolution which called for changing Medicare for future beneficiaries to a voucher system. According to Congressional Quarterly, “To reduce the growth rate of Medicare costs in the future […] the budget would also begin raising the age for eligibility so it corresponds with Social Security's age requirement, eventually reaching the age of 67. The current eligibility age for Medicare is 65.” The vote was on adopting the substitute amendment. The House rejected the amendment 105 to 319. The House later adopted a substitute amendment identical to this except for a change in defense spending and then later passed the budget resolution. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 140, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/30/15; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res. 27; Congressional Actions, S.Con.Res. 11]
2014: DeSantis Voted To Raise The Medicare Retirement Age From 65 To 67, As Part Of Rep. Ryan’s Budget Proposal. In April 2014, DeSantis voted for House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2015 to 2024. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Starting in 2024, the Ryan budget would raise Medicare’s eligibility age — now 65 — by two months per year until it reaches age 67 in 2035.” The House adopted the budget resolution by a vote of 219 to 205. [House Vote 177, 4/10/14; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/8/14]
2013: DeSantis Voted For Raising The Medicare Eligibility Age To 70 Over 20 Years. In March 2013, DeSantis voted to support raising the Medicare eligibility age to 70 over 20 years, as part of the Republican Study Committee’s proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2014 to 2023. According to the Republican Study Committee, “To address the increased demands on Medicare, this budget proposes raising the age of Medicare eligibility, beginning in 2024, by two months every year beginning with those born in 1959 until the eligibility age reaches 70, bringing Medicare eligibility in parity with Social Security.” The vote was on an amendment to the House budget resolution replacing the entire budget with the RSC’s proposed budget; the amendment failed by a vote of 104 to 132 with 171 Democrats voting present. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Repeating a strategy from last year, 171 Democrats voted “present” to push Republicans to vote against the RSC plan to make sure it did not have enough support to replace the Ryan plan.” [House Vote 86, 3/21/13; Republican Study Committee, 3/18/13; Congressional Quarterly, 3/25/13]
2022: DeSantis Signed Into Law Legislation That Revised Nursing Home Staff Requirements By Lowering Nursing Care Hour Requirements And Allowing Other Trained Professionals To Provide Care. In April 2022, according to the Florida Senate, Ron DeSantis signed into law House Bill 1239, which “[s]pecifie[d] functions that do not constitute direct care staffing hours for of required nursing home staffing ratios; require[d] facilities to determine their direct care staffing needs based on certain assessment & resident care plan; revise[d] nursing home staffing requirements; revise[d] provisions relating to applications for change of ownership; revise[d] provisions relating to facility's failure to comply with minimum staffing requirements.” [Florida Senate, Accessed on 10/26/22; Florida Senate, H.B. 1239]