Voted To Keep ObamaCare’s $500 Billion In Medicare Cuts
As Governor, Democrat Joe Manchin lent his voice in support of his friend President Barack Obama’s massive health care overhaul. As U.S. Senator, Manchin voted against repealing ObamaCare, and in favor of keeping its $500 billion in Medicare cuts as the law of the land.
But as WBOY reports, as he prepares for a tough reelection bid, “Manchin assured constituents that Congress will not make any cuts to social security or medicare [sic].”
“Joe Manchin already voted to cut Medicare by $500 billion in Washington, so it’s wrong of him to pretend that never happened and make promises against cutting Medicare in West Virginia,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond. “Once again, Manchin is saying one thing in West Virginia and doing the opposite in Washington.”
Background Information:
OBAMACARE CUT MEDICARE BY $500 BILLION
- SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): “Some Of Our Critics On The Other Side Of The Aisle Have Said, ‘You Know, They’re [Democrats] Going To Cut Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars Out Of Medicare.’ And The Simple Answer Is, Yes.” (Sen. Durbin, Floor Remarks, 3/4/10)
- WASHINGTON POST: The Health Care Bill Cut Medicare By Roughly “$500 Billion Over The Next Decade.” “To cover the cost of those changes, the compromise would impose a 3.8 percent Medicare tax on investment income for wealthy taxpayers, a levy that would come in addition to a Senate-proposed increase in the regular payroll tax for those families. And it would slice an additional $60 billion from Medicare, with the privately run program known as Medicare Advantage targeted for particularly deep cuts, bringing the total reduction in projected spending on the program to more than $500 billion over the next decade.” (Lori Montgomery and Paul Kane, “House Leaders Announce $940 Billion Health-Care Compromise Bill,” The Washington Post, 3/19/10)
THE NON-PARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE (CBO) BREAKS DOWN THE OBAMA MEDICARE CUTS:
- $200 BILLION IN CUTS TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE
- “Medicare Advantage Payments… -131.9 [Billion Dollars].” “TITLE III—Improving The Quality And Efficiency Of Health Care; Subtitle C—Provisions Relating to Part C; Medicare Advantage Payments… 2010-2019… -131.9 [Billion Dollars].” (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Rep. Pelosi, 3/18/10, P. 13)
- “Medicare Advantage Interactions… -70.4 [Billion Dollars].” “Interactions; Medicare Advantage Interactions… 2010-2019… -70.4 [Billion Dollars].” (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Rep. Pelosi, 3/18/10, P. 18)
- $150 BILLION IN CUTS TO HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, AND HOSPICE
- “Ensuring Medicare Sustainability… -156.6 [Billion Dollars].” “TITLE III—Improving The Quality And Efficiency Of Health Care; Subtitle E—Ensuring Medicare Sustainability; 3401 Revision Of Certain Market Basket Updates And Incorporation Of Services Productivity Improvements Into Market Basket Updates That Do Not Already Incorporate Such Improvements (Effect Of Productivity Adjustment For Home Health Included In Estimate For Section 3131)… 2010-2019… -156.6 [Billion Dollars].” (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Rep. Nancy Pelosi, 3/18/10, P.14)
- $40 BILLION IN CUTS TO HOME HEALTH CARE
- “Home Health Care… -39.7 [Billion Dollars].” “TITLE III—Improving The Quality And Efficiency Of Health Care; Subtitle B—Improving Medicare For Patients And Providers; Part III – Improving Payment Accuracy; 3131 Payment Adjustments For Home Health Care (Includes Effect Of Section 3401)… 2010-2019… -39.7 [Billion Dollars].” (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Rep. Nancy Pelosi, 3/18/10, P.13)
- $20 BILLION IN REDUCED “PAYMENTS TO HOSPITALS THAT SERVE A LARGE NUMBER OF LOW-INCOME PATIENTS”
- “Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payments… -22.1 [Billion Dollars].” “TITLE III—Improving The Quality And Efficiency Of Health Care; Subtitle B—Improving Medicare For Patients And Providers; Part III—Improving Payment Accuracy; 3133 Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payments… 2010-2019… -22.1 [Billion Dollars].” (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Rep. Nancy Pelosi, 3/18/10, P.13)
- “Reducing Medicaid and Medicare payments to hospitals that serve a large number of low-income patients, known as disproportionate share (DSH) hospitals…” (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Sen. Harry Reid, 11/18/09, P. 10)
M6�na��A`:58-40: R 0-40; D 56-0; I 2-0, 3/25/10, McCaskill Voted Yea)
Missouri’s Democratic Attorney General Opposed The Individual Mandate In Health Care Reform
“Missouri’s Democratic Attorney General Broke With His Party On Monday And Urged A Federal Judge To Invalidate The Central Provision Of The New Health Care Law.” (A. G. Sulzberger and Kevin Sack, “Democrat In Missouri To Oppose Health Care Law,” The New York Times, 4/11/11)
Koster Asked That The Mandate Be Removed From Health Care Reform. “He asked that the mandate be stripped from the law, and that the rest of it be allowed to remain in effect.” (A. G. Sulzberger and Kevin Sack, “Democrat In Missouri To Oppose Health Care Law,” The New York Times, 4/11/11)
Koster Called The Individual Mandate “A Substantial Blow To Federalism And Personal Freedom.” “Though Mr. Koster has been slow to weigh in, he did not mince words, arguing in the court brief that Congress had overstepped its authority by mandating that individuals buy health insurance, which he called ‘a substantial blow to federalism and personal freedom.’” (A. G. Sulzberger and Kevin Sack, “Democrat In Missouri To Oppose Health Care Law,” The New York Times, 4/11/11)
- “‘If Congress Can Force Activity Under The Commerce Clause, Then It Could Force Individuals To Receive Vaccinations Or Annual Checkups, Undergo Mammogram Or Prostate Exams Or Maintain A Specific Body Mass,’ He Wrote.” (A. G. Sulzberger and Kevin Sack, “Democrat In Missouri To Oppose Health Care Law,” The New York Times, 4/11/11)
