July 16, 2008
Contact: (202) 225-4761
Eric Wortman, Communications Director
Salazar: “Congress Overturns President’s Misguided Veto of Critical Medicare Legislation”
Washington, DC – On Tuesday, Congressman John Salazar joined a broad bipartisan coalition in the House of Representatives by voting to override the President’s veto of H.R. 6331, Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act by a vote of 383-41. The Senate followed suit last night by a vote of 70-26, ensuring the bill becomes law despite the President’s objections.
“The President’s misguided veto threatened to deny access to Medicare services for millions of seniors and people with disabilities and to fundamentally undermine the Medicare program,” Congressman Salazar said. “Congress has shown overwhelming bipartisan support for continuing Americans access to doctors they know and trust.”
Absent Congressional action, the American Medical Association estimated that “these cuts threaten to undermine access to care for millions of Medicare beneficiaries.” By overriding the President’s veto, Congress:
- Ensured seniors access to the doctors they know and trust by preventing the pending 10 percent payment cut for physicians in Medicare;
- Ensured active-duty and retired military continued coverage because when Medicare reduces payments to doctors, payments in the military health care program are also reduced;
- Guaranteed enhanced Medicare preventive and mental health benefits, including providing for mental health parity in the Medicare program;
- Extended and improved programs for low-income beneficiaries;
- Improved Medicare for both health care providers and beneficiaries in rural America, including increasing payments for sole community hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulances.
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