Washington, D.C.  –U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (R-Lafayette) today voted against the $190 billion cuts to Medicare and the tax increases in the CHAMP Act.  More than 3,000 seniors in the Seventh District would be eliminated from the Medicare Advantage Program (MA), in addition to cuts in Medicare Parts A, B and C as a direct result of the CHAMP legislation.

“Seniors in Southwest Louisiana and across America depend on the Medicare Advantage program, and cutting it is both irresponsible and dangerous,” Boustany said.  “Seniors overwhelmingly support these Medicare programs and it is unconscionable that these benefits are being eliminated.”

Drastic cuts to Medicare were needed to pay for the increases in the CHAMP Act.  In addition to the 3,246 seniors in the Seventh District, 77,000 Louisiana seniors would lose their Medicare Advantage benefits.  90% of seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage are satisfied with their plan, but under the CHAMP proposal, these seniors would be forced to pay higher premiums and lose the benefits they currently utilize.

“This is staggering –to satisfy a narrow, partisan political agenda – seniors are being denied health care options in order to deny health care options to families and children and expand entitlements to illegal immigrants and those able bodied to work,” Boustany continued.

S-CHIP provides health insurance for children of families making less than 200% of the federal poverty level.  However, in Louisiana, more than 68,000 children who qualify for S-CHIP are not enrolled.  Boustany fought to amend the CHAMP Act to target children who were currently eligible but were not enrolled, but this amendment was blocked.  In addition, a bill to reauthorize S-CHIP for one year to provide time for an open debate and transition period was defeated.