Mitch McConnell last night cast the deciding vote against legislation to prevent steep cuts in Medicare reimbursement rates to physicians slated to take effect next week.  Without this vital legislation, millions of seniors will be unable to easily access care as many doctors are expected to stop seeing Medicare patients. The bill McConnell blocked would have been paid for by ending costly overpayments to private insurance companies and HMOs participating in Medicare, and would have improved access to mental health services for veterans and Medicare programs for rural seniors. At least 162 organizations representing seniors, patients, physicians, and other health care companies endorsed the bill that passed the House Tuesday with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 355-59, and last night was killed in the Senate by McConnell's single vote.

Mitch McConnell once again has chosen to stand with the HMO lobby to protect their profits rather than stand up for Kentucky's seniors. His deciding vote will have disastrous effects for seniors, veterans and doctors.  It's time for all of Kentucky to send a message to Mitch McConnell; we have the opportunity in November to send Bruce Lunsford to Washington to fight for our seniors, to show true leadership and to put the interests of Kentuckians ahead of partisanship.

Since 1995, McConnell has voted to cut or voted against Medicare funding at least sixteen times. [Vote 173, 5/22/95; Vote 232, 5/52/95; Vote 296, 6/29/95; Vote 499, 10/26/95; Vote 524, 10/27/95; Vote 584, 11/17/95; Vote 159, 6/13/96; Vote 130, 6/25/97; Vote 7, 1/7/03; Vote 21, 1/23/03; Vote 89, 3/25/03; Vote 291, 11/3/05; Vote 303, 11/3/05; Vote 363, 12/21/05; Vote 62, 3/16/06; Vote 92, 3/22/07]  

 

McConnell Has Received $803,057 From the Insurance Industry  Since his first run for Congress, McConnell has received at least $803,057 in campaign contributions from the insurance industry.  [Center for Responsive Politics] 

 

 

Without a fix, 60% of doctors will stop seeing new Medicare patients.A survey shows that 60% of doctors will be forced to restrict the number of new Medicare patients they see if reimbursement rates fall 10.6% on July 1, while the nonpartisan expert Medicare Payment Advisory Commission reports that already 30% of Medicare patients looking for a new primary care physician have trouble finding  one.  [AMA, 6/9/08; MedPAC, March 2008] 

 

 

McConnell votes against seniors to preserve overpayments to HMOs  According to the nonpartisan, well-respected Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, private insurance companies in the Medicare Advantage program will be paid 113% of the average per-beneficiary cost - an extra $1,000 per patient - and their beneficiaries are healthier, and so less expensive to cover.  [MedPAC, March 2008; MedPAC, June 2007] 

Vote will cost Kentucky doctors $190 million in the first year and a half The American Medical Association says that the Medicare payment cuts for physician services will cost Kentucky physicians $190 million from July 2008 to December 2009 alone. [American Medical Association]

Please help get the word out to your friends, family and neighbors.  Please let them know it's time Kentucky elects leaders who will look out for the interests of Kentuckians.  Please tell them to vote for Bruce Lunsford.

Sincerely,

Jennifer A. Moore
Chair, Kentucky Democratic Party

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