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Bush's Medicare proposal doesn't sit well with Republicans

Patient Financial Services Weekly Advisor, March 10, 2006

President Bush's attempt to cut $36 billion from the federal Medicare program hit a road block on Wednesday when dozens of fellow Republicans expressed opposition for the bill, Reuters reports.

Bush's plan is to trim $36 billion over five years and $105 billion over 10 years mostly by slowing payments to hospitals. But after initial criticism from Democrats, more than 60 House Republicans have come out against it.

"Hospitals are not just a health care safety net for their communities but also anchor local economies. They also must stand ready to respond to natural disasters, pandemic diseases, and the threat of terrorism," the House Republicans wrote in a public letter this week.

The letter didn't rule out all Medicare cuts, suggesting that these cuts could be more modest and have a less dramatic impact on hospitals.

"Our hospitals are already stretching scarce resources to respond to the daily challenges of caring for all who come through their door," the letter said. "Now is not the time for further reductions."

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