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