Medicaid Cuts Would Deny Health Care to Working Families

Medicaid Cuts Would Deny Health Care to Working Families

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, helped lead the fight against a Republican plan to slash Medicaid funding to pay for the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. The so-called Medicaid reforms were considered by the committee as part of a broader budget plan that would cut critical services for working and middle class families to pay for tax cuts.

"What our Republican colleagues are asking us to do is cut Medicaid funding that pays for health care for working families, including children, so that they can fund tax cuts for the highest income earners in our nation," said Rep. DeGette. "Under this plan, a family of four earning $32,000 a year - 165 of percent the poverty level - would see their share of medical costs increase by $2,500 a year. This is not just bad policy, it is simply immoral."

In an effort to help jump-start domestic vaccine production, Rep. DeGette also proposed an amendment to increase flu vaccine demand by eliminating co-payments for Medicaid recipients. This would expand domestic the domestic market for the flu vaccine, providing incentive for manufacturers to increase vaccine production in the United States and the ability to quickly ramp up production of an avian flu vaccine if that becomes necessary.

"For too many years now, the United States has allowed its domestic vaccine capacity to disappear. We need to rebuild it now so that, if an avian flu pandemic strikes, we are in the best position possible to protect our citizens," said Rep. DeGette. "By eliminating Medicaid co-pays, we will increase domestic demand and provide vaccine manufacturers with an expanded market during normal flu seasons."

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/co01_degette/051027b.html