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U.S.
Senator Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees |
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For Immediate
Release Thursday, June 26, 2008 |
CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-228-3630 |
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| Sen. Salazar Votes to Protect Seniors from Devastating Medicare Cuts But Filibuster Blocks Bill that Would Prevent Rate Cuts Scheduled for July 1 WASHINGTON, DC – Tonight, United States Senator Ken Salazar voted to move ahead toward passage of H.R.6631, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, in order to avert a health care disaster that will affect millions of seniors and tens of thousands of doctors in just five days. Without this legislation, Medicare reimbursement rates will fall 10 percent on July 1, driving many doctors into the red and resulting in reduced access to care for Medicare patients across the country. The bill would replace the 10 percent payment cut with a 1.1 percent increase. The vote to proceed on the bill failed by a vote of 58-40. It needed 60 votes to pass. “I am deeply, deeply
disappointed with the results of tonight’s vote. We had an opportunity
tonight, thanks to the work we did on the Finance Committee, to pass
a bipartisan bill that, in the nick of time, would have averted a health
care train wreck for Colorado’s seniors and doctors,” said
Senator Salazar. “We have been trying to prevent the July 1
cut to reimbursement rates for months, and we had another chance to
make the save at the last minute, but the politics of obstructionism
won the day – by a single vote. I will continue to fight to pass this
bill, and I will continue to stand with America’s seniors, families,
and doctors.” ###
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