Boozman Urges Protection of Long-term Care

Press Release

U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) today joined a bipartisan group of legislators in opposition to President Bush's proposal to cut $10 billion in Medicare and Medicaid funding.

Boozman co-signed a letter to leaders of the House Budget Committee to preserve spending for long-term care to benefit the nation's poor, frail, elderly and those with disabilities.

"A vast majority of nursing home patients rely on Medicare and Medicaid to pay for their long-term care," Boozman said. "As the need for long-term care continues to increase, it is necessary to maintain funding levels to ensure Americans with needs have access to quality healthcare."

In the long-term care sector, Medicare covers the underfunding of Medicaid-financed nursing home care, which cost $4.5 billion in 2006.

"Under the President's proposal, nursing homes would have to shoulder 15% of the total cuts," Boozman said. "We need to ensure these cuts are not made so these facilities, which perform such a valuable service, are not given greater burdens to overcome as they take care of our loved ones."

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