Healthcare Groups Denounce Democrats’ Plan to Deny Seniors’ Access to Medicare Benefits

June 28, 2011

FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Dan Boren (OK-02), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Ben Chandler (KY-06), David Cicilline (RI-01), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-20), Jerry Costello (IL-12), Mark Critz (PA-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Joe Donnelly (IN-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Kathy Hochul (NY-26), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Jay Inslee (WA-01), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Mike Ross (AR-04), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), David Wu (OR-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03)
 
Healthcare Groups Denounce Schrader’s Plan to Deny Seniors’ Access to Medicare Benefits
Over 270 Healthcare Groups Denounce the Democrats’ Bureaucrat Board to Cut Medicare Benefits

Washington — As Kurt Schrader and his fellow Democrats continue to promote their Medicare plan, which is an unelected and unaccountable board of bureaucrats who would limit seniors’ access to care, healthcare groups are naturally voicing strong opposition. With the healthcare community strongly disapproving of the cornerstone of Schrader’s flawed plan, it seems that only his fellow Democrats in Washington are left at his side.

“Healthcare professionals are now joining with the American people in rejecting Kurt Schrader’s plan to empower unelected bureaucrats to endanger seniors’ access to Medicare benefits and make unsustainable cuts to the program,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “It’s no wonder these 270 healthcare groups now stand in opposition to Schrader’s deeply flawed Medicare plan, which would interfere with their ability to provide a full range of services to seniors relying on the program.”

Last week, 270 healthcare groups signed a letter that voiced opposition to the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) component of the Democrats’ healthcare law, composed of a “robust cross-section” of the healthcare community:

“All told, some 270 stakeholder groups signed a letter to members of Congress urging them to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board. The IPAB is a panel of experts, appointed by the president, that will have the power to cut Medicare payments.

“The organizations represent doctors, other healthcare providers, employers, drug and medical device manufacturers and some disease-specific advocates — in short, a robust cross-section of the groups that stand to lose as a new and powerful body looks for Medicare savings.

“‘While we all recognize the need for more sustainable healthcare costs, we do not believe the IPAB is the way to, or will, accomplish this goal,’ the organizations wrote.” (Sam Baker, “270 healthcare groups back IPAB repeal,” The Hill‘s Healthwatch Blog, 6/24/11)
 

This board of unelected bureaucrats is the cornerstone of the Democrats’ Medicare plan:

“Over the past year, we’ve seen two plans to address Medicare’s future finances. One approach, taken in the Affordable Care Act and enhanced by recent deficit reduction proposals from President Barack Obama, brings down underlying costs in the health care system by improving care.” (Kathleen Sebelius, “IPAB will protect Medicare,” Politico, 6/23/11)
 

Kurt Schrader’s approach to Medicare would let an unelected board of federal bureaucrats get in between Oregon seniors who rely on the program and their doctors. That is why it is no surprise such a broad swatch of healthcare professionals is now strongly rejecting Schrader’s Democrat plan.

Healthcare Groups Denounce Democrats’ Plan to Deny Seniors’ Access to Medicare Benefits http://ow.ly/5scsw #madeinwdc

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