Bush Budget and Health Care Missed Opportunities and Misplaced Priorities

BUSH BUDGET AND HEALTH CARE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AND MISPLACED PRIORITIES -- (House of Representatives - February 07, 2008)

(Mr. ELLISON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, at a time when more and more Americans are struggling to obtain affordable health care, the President's budget drastically slashes health care for seniors and low-income working Americans.

Today, 36 million seniors get health care coverage through Medicare. The President's budget takes a swipe at their pocketbooks by proposing to save nearly $6 billion by increasing the monthly premiums that seniors pay.

If the President was concerned about seniors, he would instead go after the vast overpayments made by Medicare to private managed care plans. Instead, he has raised premiums on our seniors and focused his cuts on our Nation's hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other health care providers. The President also cuts Medicaid by $33 billion over the next 5 years.

Today, Medicaid serves 55 million low-income and disabled Americans. Such cuts force cash-strapped States to either reduce benefits or cut provider payments.

Mr. Speaker, as our economy continues to face uncertain times, this is the worst time for the President to promote drastic cuts in Medicare and Medicaid.

Rest assured, the Democrats would not allow these cuts to become law. These provisions are as good as dead as they come to Capitol Hill.

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