Friday, 4 December 2009
Medicare Cuts Pass in Senate Health Care Bill
As the Senate continues to debate the health care bill, new amendments are reaching the floor to improve the legislation. The Senate just recently opposed an amendment proposed by Senator John McCain while approving an amendment from Senator Barbara Mikulski.
Senator McCain’s amendment opposed financial cutbacks to the current Medicare system and would have eliminated the primary source of funding of the current Senate bill. Currently the Senate bill is proposing to cut the Medicare’s funding by $500 billion, but guarantees that the cuts will not affect benefits for seniors. If Senator McCain’s amendment had been passed, the health care debate would have been stalled for weeks, making the Financial Committee go back to the drawing board.
Senator Mikulski’s amendment was approved, which will require health policies to cover additional preventive health care services for women. This amendment includes mammograms and seems to be a reaction to the recent national outcry over a federal advisory council recommending that mammograms are not necessary until the age of 50.
More amendments will continue to be presented as the health care debate unfolds, hoping to alter votes one way or the other.
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