The National Committee To Preserve Social Security And Medicare - Protecting The Health And Economic Future Of Older Americans

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 26 Jul 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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"As the President himself has said, America does not face an entitlement crisis, we face a health care crisis. In light of this, proposals that single out Medicare for aggressive cost cutting are not only unwise but patently unfair. We believe that it is an imperative of health reform that cost growth throughout the entire health care system be addressed, not simply in the Medicare program." Barbara B. Kennelly, President/CEO

Medicare Advisory Council Proposal Looks More Like a Permanent Entitlement Commission than "MedPac on Steroids"

In a letter today to Congress and the President, former Congresswoman Barbara Kennelly, President and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare is urging members to oppose any effort to transfer Congress' authority to manage Medicare to an appointed Commission charged primarily with cutting costs.

The Independent Medicare Advisory Council proposal being considered in the House includes many of the same flawed approaches seen in entitlement reform commission plans offered in the past, including; fast-tracked legislation which prohibits amendments and requires an up or down vote, statutory spending caps and sequestration of funding. These provisions put spending cuts as the Medicare commission's top priority. That leaves little room for concerns about access to services or affordability, and could ultimately lead to a serious erosion of the benefits relied upon by millions of seniors and the disabled.

"Submitting major changes to such an important program on a fast track through Congress with little opportunity for amendment runs counter to the Administration's call for transparency and participation by the American public in policy decisions. Enacting procedures to push through changes of this importance to millions of Americans, especially senior Americans, ultimately disenfranchises the public and hurts the political process." Barbara B. Kennelly, President/CEO

Medicare reforms can and should be a part of the national health care transformation. However, analysis by the Congressional Budget Office has shown that Medicare spending is only a portion of the cost growth trend seen system-wide; underlining the need to control the growth trend throughout the entire health care system, not simply in the Medicare program.

The National Committee has worked hard to mobilize support for Medicare proposals that would improve efficiency and care for millions of Medicare beneficiaries while also providing savings for system-wide health care reform efforts. However, this Medicare Advisory Council proposal shifts the focus away from system-wide reforms in favor of cutting Medicare to reduce the cost of health care reform.

A copy of the National Committee's letter to Congress opposing the creation of a permanent Medicare commission is available on our website; see here.

Source
The National Committee

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