Congress overrides Bush's veto on Medicare bill
Move blocks pay cuts to doctors
WASHINGTON - In a swift rebuke to President Bush, Congress voted overwhelmingly yesterday to override his veto of a Medicare bill that would forestall pay cuts to doctors who treat seniors, the disabled, and military personnel.
The House voted 383 to 41 to block the president's veto. An hour later, the Senate voted 70 to 26 to override the veto.
The pay cut to doctors would take effect yesterday, and many have said it would force them to stop treating Medicare patients.
The bill, called the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, would halt a scheduled 10.6 percent cut in payments to physicians and instead institute a 1.1 percent payment increase in 2009.
The bill would improve preventive and mental health benefits, increase access to physical, occupational, and speech and language therapy, and increase help for low-income Medicare recipients with their out-of-pocket and prescription drug costs.
Bush and many Republicans oppose the bill because funds to prevent the cut in doctor payments would come from more than $12 billion in cuts to private insurance companies that offer coverage under the private Medicare Advantage program, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield. They oppose overriding the veto to restore fees to doctors by cutting payments to private insurers.
"This is a horrible way to do what we're doing today," said Representative Mike Rogers, Republican of Michigan.
But Democrats depicted Bush as siding with private companies over seniors in his drive to privatize the federal program for seniors and the disabled.
"Imagine vetoing a bill that allows seniors to have doctors take care of them," said Representative Anna Eschoo, Democrat of California. "It's one heck of a way to gut Medicare."
The bill originally passed the House by 355 to 59 and then passed the Senate this month in a dramatic 69 to 30 vote that followed the unexpected appearance of Senator Edward Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, who took a break from cancer treatment to return to the Senate to support the bill.
Kennedy, whose vote was not need yesterday to override the president's veto, released a statement from his home in Hyannisport. "Last week, by a veto proof majority, the Senate demonstrated its intent to keep Medicare strong and effective for years to come. I was proud to return to Washington and cast that important vote for our seniors. Today, Congress rightly overrode President Bush's misguided veto and renewed the promise of Medicare. It's a great vote and a great day for America's seniors."
Bush vetoed the bill yesterday morning, declaring it "objectionable" because it would take funds from private health insurers, would "undermine the Medicare prescription drug program," and is fiscally irresponsible.
Without the veto override, 60 percent of doctors would be forced to limit the number of new Medicare patients they treat, according to the American Medical Association, which supports the bill.
"We urge all members of Congress to stand firmly on the side of seniors, the disabled, and military families and vote to override the veto," said AMA president Nancy Nielsen.
The bill also affects the 9.2 million active and retired military personnel and their family members who use the military's Tricare system, because it uses payment rates set by Medicare.
