In an important vote on the Senate floor this afternoon, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) voted to block an effort by Republicans to restore roughly $450 billion in Medicare cuts contained in the bill to help pay for its massive $2.5 trillion price tag.
The amendment defeated by Specter and Senate Democrats today was offered by U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and would have required the Senate to send the bill, H.R. 3590, back to the Senate Committee on Finance with instructions to remove language that cuts approximately $450 billion from Medicare.
These cuts include $120 billion for Medicare Advantage and around $200 billion in permanent cuts to all Medicare provider payment updates including hospitals, hospice, home health and nursing homes.
“Arlen Specter had an opportunity to protect Medicare and health care benefits for Pennsylvania seniors today, but he decided instead to play politics and side with President Obama and Harry Reid in their efforts to take money away from hospitals, hospices, and Medicare to create a new multi-trillion-dollar Washington program,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand.
“The massive cuts to Medicare that Senator Specter supported today will have a drastic effect on Pennsylvania seniors who have paid into the Medicare program and expect the program to be there to care for their health needs,” Marchand continued. “If he makes it to the General Election, Specter will be held accountable for his vote today when Pennsylvanians cast their ballots in November.”
Background Information:
Examples of Medicare Cuts in Obama’s Government-Run Health Care Bill:
Medicare Advantage program is cut by $120 billion;
Hospital is cut by $135 billion;
Home Health is cut by over $42 billion;
Nursing Home is cut by $14.6 billion; and
Hospice care is cut by $7.6 billion,
The proposed legislation permanently cuts all annual Medicare provider payment updates by at least $150 billion over the next 10 years. The chief actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) believes these cuts could cause providers (e.g. hospitals, home health agencies and hospices) to end their participation in Medicare, threatening access to care as providers find it more financially difficult to care for Medicare beneficiaries.
Cutting the Medicare Advantage program will limit plan choices and reduce benefits for almost 11 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage program. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirms that the Reid-Obama legislation will cut benefits on average by about 64 percent over the next 10 years – from $135 to $49 a month for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.
