President Bush’s Proposal Cuts To Medicare, Medicaid Criticized by Democrats

Democrats on Tuesday were at loggerheads with administration officials over issues that were deemed “unrealistic.” The issues were about health care spending and other matters relating to President Bush’s 2009 budget request released on Monday.

The AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reported that “lawmakers made it plain that they would ignore the president’s proposals to cut Medicare and Medicaid spending” (Taylor, AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/6).

Meanwhile, Jim Nussle, White House Office of Management and Budget Directory discussed a reduction in growth and spending in Medicare and Medicaid during the Senate Budget Committee. After the proposals were criticized by Democrats, they were challenged by Nussle to put their own ideas on the table.

According to Senator Pat Roberts the real problem pertained to health care and not entitlements. He said the Medicare cuts were unrealistic. According to CQ HealthBeat there was support for the budget request among some Congressional Republicans as well as some health care industry groups but not much other support.