Kathleen Sebelius discusses Affordable Care Act in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE -- The nation's Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius made a stop in Milwaukee Wednesday, April 11th. Sebelius stopped at a senior center, where she answered questions about the two-year-old Affordable Healthcare Act.

At Milwaukee's Washington Park Senior Center Wednesday, Sebelius discussed the Affordable Care Act - specifically, how the measure impacts Medicare. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear: there is no cut to Medicare benefits. Medicare Advantage rates for seniors this year, for the second year, are significantly down. In fact, across the country, they're down 20 percent," Sebelius said.

Sebelius said she is critical of an alternative healthcare plan, supported by Republicans, including Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, specifically citing concerns regarding what she said are that plans payout limits. "You basically are given a voucher to negotiate with insurance companies for benefits in the private market, and I think nothing could be more dangerous, or worse for seniors than that. The problem, in my opinion, with the president's plan is two fold. It puts the entire system under the control of bureaucrats, and it still doesn't save the system. It still goes bankrupt," Sebelius said.

Ryan was in Milwaukee Monday, April 9th, discussing his budget plan, and explained that his plan provides transparency in both price and quality, and he criticized the Affordable Care Act's Independent Payment Advisory Board. "I prefer 50 million seniors having the power of choice and competition, determining how they get their benefits, from who, where they get their benefits, versus 15 unelected bureaucrats," Ryan said.

Sebelius is touring the country in celebration of the Affordable Care Act's two year anniversary.

Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court listened to six hours of oral arguments on legal challenges to the act.