It is not often that Senior News quotes AARP's Bill Novelli. When asked about President Bush's proposed 2008 budget recommendations, that if adopted by Congress, would trim Medicare and Medicare spending by about $100 billion over the next five years, he said, "The Medicare and Medicaid savings reflect an annual rite in Washington - piecemeal cut that threaten to damage critical programs without addressing the fundamental problems that exist in our entire health care system."

The president's proposals to cuts Medicare and Medicaid health care programs are varied and nuanced; amongst the most glaring are proposed cuts in Medicare payments to doctors, hospitals, nursing homes and home care providers. These cuts will result in chronic service shortfalls in future years that will force painful sacrifices on beneficiaries.  

The president's budget recommendations fundamentally fail to address skyrocketing health care costs. There are the usual promises of savings through cutting waste and improved outcomes but the fact remains that most of its scheduled savings merely result from cost shifting.

However, many members of the new Democratic-controlled Congress have announced that this portion of the president's budget is "dead on arrival," That remains to be seen.

Contact your senators and representatives (see page 2) to ensure that these measures are not enacted. To find out more about these issues, plan on attending the upcoming meeting of the Medicare Justice Coalition, March 9, 9:30 a.m., at the Senior Federation, or call Lee Graczyk at 651/783-5028.