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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA sneak attack on Medicare-- I didn't think it was possible -- but the Trans-Pacific Partnership ju
I got this as an email--so will pass it on.
A sneak attack on Medicare
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Charles Chamberlain, Democracy for America Unsubscribe
8:10 AM (22 hours ago)
to me
I didn't think it was possible -- but the Trans-Pacific Partnership just got a lot worse.
There's a big -- brand new -- attack on Medicare that's just been added in the Senate to the Fast Track bill for the TPP. The bill would cut a whopping $700 million from Medicare, hurting seniors who need access to health care.
That's right, Republicans insisted on cutting Medicare spending to pay for a Trade Adjustment Assistance program that Democrats got added to the bill in order to support workers who lost their jobs due to trade deals like the TPP.
This is ridiculous. If Senators are concerned about the impact of the TPP on jobs, then they should reject the the Fast Track bill that makes it possible -- especially if the plan to pay for it comes out of the pockets of seniors who rely on Medicare to survive.
The Senate is about to vote again on Fast Track for the TPP. President Obama is pressuring Democrats to vote for it, even with this cut to Medicare. We have just a few days to stop them.
Sign our petition: Tell the Senate to protect Medicare, protect jobs, and reject Fast Track for the TPP.
Medicare is already under threat from Republican budget cuts. This $700 million cut would make matters much worse.
This new cut would erode Medicare's capacity to ensure seniors and others have access to medical services. It pits Americans who need assistance because of a trade deal that cost them their job against Americans who need Medicare.
We stopped the Fast Track bill a few days ago in the Senate. Now Democrats are coming under intense pressure from big corporations and the White House to reverse their position and back this bad deal. Now is the time to stand up and stop this attack on Medicare and on jobs.
Sign the petition: Tell Senators to reject Medicare cuts and reject Fast Track for the TPP.
http://act.democracyforamerica.com/sign/TPPMedicareCuts/?t=1&referring_akid=6230.1978494.d5mXwy
Thank you for taking a stand to protect Medicare.
- Charles
Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director
Democracy for America
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Paid for by Democracy for America, http://www.democracyforamerica.com/?t=3&akid=6230.1978494.d5mXwy and not authorized by any candidate. Contributions to Democracy for America are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)I suspect we will hear the usual "We don't know what's in it, I will wait for the final bill to be passed before rendering Judgement" excuses.
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)R's once again shown to be most interested in the politics of anti-tax selfishness
abelenkpe
(9,933 posts)For workers who lose their job due to trade deals?
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Not enough details to know what cuts.
There could be cuts on a bureaucratic level, for instance, or cuts to duplicate services, etc.
Naturally the point is that if Republicans are doing it, it is bad, and while that often is the truth, I prefer to contact my Congress maroons with facts.
riversedge
(70,310 posts)I had seen a headline this week about this issue but did not read it then. Now I can not find this. This is about a month old and I wonder if this provision is still in the bill?
http://kaiserhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/provider-groups-object-to-700-million-cut-to-medicare-to-fund-trade-bill/
KHN Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations.
Apr 22 2015
full issue
Provider Groups Object To $700 Million Cut To Medicare To Fund Trade Bill
The Trade Adjustment Assistance reauthorization bill would help provide health coverage to workers who lose their jobs because of foreign trade. Groups representing health care providers and senior advocates are concerned because the program is partially bankrolled by a reduction in Medicare funding.
National Journal: Groups Fume That Medicare Cuts May Pay For Trade Bill
Senior and provider groups are angry that Medicare cuts will help pay for one of the trade bills that Congress will soon consider and are waging a last-ditch effort to nix the cuts. The Trade Adjustment Assistance reauthorization bill hasn't received as much attention as the fast-track trade authority bill, but Democrats see it as a priority: The program helps workers who have been put out of a job because of foreign trade with job-training and placement as well as health-insurance costs. ... But on Tuesday, senior and provider groups started criticizing the proposal. They're unhappy because about $700 million of the $2.9 billion cost would be offset by increasing the cuts to Medicare authorized by the automatic budget cuts known as sequestration in fiscal year 2024 by 0.25 percent, according to a Congressional Budget Office score of the House bill. (Scott, 4/21)
The Hill: Healthcare Groups Object To Medicare Cuts In Trade Bill
Leading healthcare provider groups are objecting to Medicare cuts being used to help pay for a new House Republican trade bill. The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) bill helps workers displaced by trade and provides a tax credit to help pay for health insurance. It was rolled out in addition to a proposal to give President Obama fast-track authority on trade. The healthcare providers object to the TAA bill including a 0.25 percent cut in Medicare payments in fiscal year 2024, which amounts to a $700 million cut, according to the Congressional Budget Office. (Sullivan, 4/21)...................
jehop61
(1,735 posts)and check if there's any other source for this. Came up with nothing. Just like I usually do with right wing crazy emails. I wish folks would check out ay email that charges goofy things before passing it on. We should do better than the other side
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)and sometimes the news piece has not even been written up. Definitely good to double check though.
lamp_shade
(14,844 posts)riversedge
(70,310 posts)I found this--about a month old now.
Healthcare groups object to Medicare cuts in trade bill
By Peter Sullivan - 04/21/15 04:37 PM EDT
Leading healthcare provider groups are objecting to Medicare cuts being used to help pay for a new House Republican trade bill.
The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) bill helps workers displaced by trade and provides a tax credit to help pay for health insurance. It was rolled out in addition to a proposal to give President Obama fast-track authority on trade.
The healthcare providers object to the TAA bill including a 0.25 percent cut in Medicare payments in fiscal year 2024, which amounts to a $700 million cut, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The move adds to the 2 percent cut that came as part of the sequester passed in 2011.
Hospitals, physicians, nursing homes and home health and hospice providers have already absorbed hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to the Medicare program in recent years, says a letter to lawmakers Tuesday from the provider groups. Additionally alarming is the use of Medicare cuts to pay for non-Medicare related legislation, a precedent that we believe is unwise.
The letter is signed by the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the American Health Care Association (the skilled nursing trade group) and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. ..............
riversedge
(70,310 posts)DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)Come on out, tools, let's do this.
CharlotteVale
(2,717 posts)cascadiance
(19,537 posts)Huh? We're just not that stupid any more Obama!
As Bush tried to say...
"Fool me once, shame on shame on you. Fool me you can't get fooled again.
Bush was stupid enough and not self critical enough to put in the "Fool me twice - shame on me" part... But he at least came out with the right conclusion that we shouldn't be making the same mistakes multiple times! We aren't being given reasons to believe that we aren't making a mistake again with TPP, especially when crap like this comes out!