Democrats, Senior Advocates Speak Out Against Medicare Cuts In Trade Bill

6/13/2015 When NPR reported on Democratic opposition to the job training bill, they didn't mention that the Republicans put in a provision that it would be paid for by cutbacks to Medicare funding. Same thing on the TV "news" show at the laundromat yesterday.

Got a comment on Facebook that the Medicare reduction part has been removed. If I find out for sure. I'll update this.

http://www.progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2015/06/08/schakowsky-senior-advocates-speak-out-against-medicare-cuts-trade-bill

A proposal to cut Medicare spending in order to fund the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program is being met with fierce opposition from U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL,9), other House Democrats and senior advocates.

On a Monday afternoon conference call, Schakowsky and U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA,6), co-chairs of the Congressional Task Force on Seniors, joined representatives from senior advocacy groups in denouncing a Senate-passed measure that would reauthorize TAA at Medicare's expense. The TAA program provides aid to U.S. workers displaced as a result of trade agreements.

"All of us adamantly reject using Medicare as an ATM for unrelated issues, regardless of their merits," Schakowsky said. "We support Trade Adjustment Assistance. In fact, I'd like to see it improved by increasing benefits, ... but we are adamantly opposed to cutting Medicare to pay for it."

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To offset the cost of extending TAA, the Senate-approved bill seeks to save $700 million by extending Medicare sequestration cuts through 2024 and another $250 million over the next 10 years by adjusting Medicare reimbursements for renal dialysis services for those with acute kidney injuries. [The Senate & House are both controlled by Republicans.]

"We believe that where we can findings savings that improve efficiencies in Medicare, those savings should be reinvested in Medicare -- used to improve benefits, reduce cost sharing and expand access -- not to pay for something that has nothing to do with Medicare," Schakowsky said. "Medicare, as I said, is not an ATM machine to be used by Republicans in the House or Senate looking for a pay-for."

Representatives from the Alliance for Retired Americans and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare were also on the call.

"It is difficult for us to find any logic for this proposal," said Alliance for Retired Americans Executive Director Rich Fiesta. "The Medicare system should not be used, in our view, as a piggy bank to fund non-Medicare programs. It would set a terrifically horrible precedent."

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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA,12) made it clear last week that the TAA "bill is a nonstarter in terms of how it is paid for." Speaking at a press conference last Thursday, Pelosi added that she is "hopeful that, working together in a bipartisan way, that we can come up with a better pay-for so that we can have that [TAA] bill pass so that we can move on to the taking up of the TPA."

The minority leader's statements came after the Progressive Caucus sent a letter on Monday signed by 61 House Democrats to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH,8) and Pelosi, urging against "cuts to critical social programs like Medicare" to fund the TAA program.

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