Letter to the Editor: Medicare Cuts

A letter to the editor in the Sunday edition of the Topeka Capital-Journal from Congresswoman Nancy Boyda:

Medicate Vote
Sunday, June 29, 2008

If you needed a reminder of how important elections are, it comes this week. Tuesday, Medicare is going to get a lot worse for almost everyone. Last week, Congress had a chance to do something about it. In the House, where every member is up for re-election this November, the fix-it bill passed by a vote of 355 to 59 despite opposition from the president.

Unfortunately, only one-third of the Senate is up for re-election this year. When the Senate voted, the 50 Democrats (Sen. Ted Kennedy is still away fighting cancer) were joined by all of the Republicans facing tough re-election races in the fall. However, almost all the rest, including Sen. Sam Brownback, stuck with the president, and the bill fell one vote short of the 60 needed.

Doctors and other providers will see their payments cut by 10.6 percent. Those in rural areas will see their payments cut even more. The bonus payments that allow rural areas to keep their laboratories and ambulance services will expire. Patients who need rehab therapy will face tight caps on their number of sessions.

The bill we voted on blocked all of these changes. It also made some improvements, including help for pharmacies, rural clinics and low-income seniors, and it did it without increasing the debt.

The president opposes the bill because we pay for the improvements by cutting an insurance company subsidy, called Medicare Advantage, that will cost taxpayers $65 billion over the next five years.

I think Americans think it's good policy. That's why everyone who has to answer to the voters in November supported this bill.

Democracy is a team sport. This is a great example of why you need to be part of the debate.

REP. NANCY BOYDA, Topeka

Boyda Fights to Stop Medicare Reimbursement Cuts

Every single member of the Kansas delegation to Congress, all of them- save one- voted last week to prevent massive cuts from Medicare from going into effect- and to prevent very real hardship from hitting folks back at home and all over the nation.

Medical care options may be reduced after lawmakers packed up and left Washington, D.C., this week without stopping a 10.6 percent decrease in Medicare reimbursements made to physicians.

Primary care physicians with the Cotton-O'Neil Clinic will stop accepting new Medicare patients on Tuesday as a result of the cuts that go into effect that day.

"We urge citizens to communicate with your elected officials and ask for their support to repeal cuts to their Medicare benefits," said Kent Palmberg, chief medical officer for Stormont-Vail HealthCare, of which Cotton-O'Neil is a division.

Legislation was needed to block cuts that otherwise occur automatically under a formula. Congress has blocked similar cuts in the past.

The bill to prevent Bush Administration supported cuts passed the House overwhelmingly- 355-59. It was the Senate that become the problem, with responsibility resting directly at the feet of Senator Sam Brownback.

But in the Senate, the legislation fell just short of mustering the 60 votes needed to pass the measure under expedited rules. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, fell out of line with other members of the state's delegation, voting against shutting down debate so senators could vote on the measure. Phone calls and an e-mail sent to Brownback's office on Friday weren't returned.

If Brownback had joined his fellow Republican from Kansas Senator Pat Roberts, the bill would have had enough votes to get passed the Republican filibuster and could have gone on to an up-or-down vote. But, instead, he voted in lockstep with the Bush Administration and prevented any action. His one vote cost thousands of Kansans, and millions of Americans, their medical coverage.

Don't like it coming from us? Take it from Pat Roberts, then:

"I urge my colleagues to put politics aside to pass this bill for seniors and our health care providers," Roberts said in a statement released by his office. "I hope the Congress and the administration can work together to adopt these reforms as soon as possible."

Congresswoman Nancy Boyda was, rightfully, "shocked" when she got the news the Senate had refused to act.

"I think this is where I'm hoping there is nothing short of outrage on this," Boyda said. "Public policy follows public opinion."

In addition to eliminating the planned reduction, Boyda said the legislation would have addressed problems that are driving small pharmacies out of business and leaving some rural counties with no pharmacies. The legislation would have continued to make bonus payments to physicians working in rural areas, kept caps off of physical therapy and increased Medicare payments to doctors by 1.1 percent in January.

Boyda said she worries about seniors losing out on medical care options.

"They don't need one more thing to worry about," she said.

It's nothing shy of sad Sam Brownback let politics get in the way of protecting the health and well-being our our senior citizens. We agree with Boyda- we hope Kansas is outraged.

Boyda holds forums, helps senior citizens

Congresswoman Nancy Boyda held a series of forums dedicated to answering questions relating to Medicare across the district this week, including one in Columbus (in the extreme southeastern corner of the state) that was covered by The Joplin Globe.

It's a long article, and a good one, detailing many of the problems our senior citizens face while trying to facilitate a basic need: getting their medicine.

Here's an excerpt:

Boyda said President Bush and many Republicans in Congress want to cut funding for services to senior citizens, but she said he would fight to prevent it.

“In December, you’re going to see some showdowns on the House and Senate floor,” she said.

Boyda said that in comparing plans that are offered, one should keep in mind that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. She said 52 plans are offered to Kansas residents under the Medicare drug plan.

“The marketplace can be pretty brutal, honestly,” she said. She said a company’s profit motive doesn’t always coincide with what is the common good.

Boyda also reiterated her belief Medicare should be able to negotiate with drug companies for cheaper prices- a no-brainer solution to a massive problem that the Republicans in Congress and the White House continue to ignore.

According to the official site, a total of five forums were held.