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Congress Overrides Medicare Veto
By
Michael A. Piekarz
Staff Writer
The
July 15th congressional override of the president’s veto of
The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008
(MIPPA) drew strong praise from Medicare reform advocates.
The Act is considered a modest reform of the Medicare system to provide for coverage
of additional preventive services. Other reforms under the bill include prohibitions
and limitations on certain sales and marketing activities under Medicare Advantage
plans and prescription drug plans.
MIPPA provisions also increase payments to physicians, extend the quality of
reporting systems for healthcare providers and provide incentives for electronic
prescriptions.
White House opposition to the bill was based on several stated considerations.
Chief among them was the fear that MIPPA would undermine Medicare Part D by reducing
payments for Medicare Advantage plan. The president also determined that the
bill would lead to limited beneficiary access, benefits, choices and a lower-than-expected
enrollment in Medicare Advantage.
“Because this bill would severely damage the Medicare program by undermining
the Medicare Part D program and by reducing access, benefits and choices for
all beneficiaries, particularly the approximately 9.6 million beneficiaries in
MA, I must veto this bill,” said President Bush in the written statement
accompanying his veto.
Congress quickly responded to the anticipated presidential action. Both the House
and the Senate voted overwhelmingly to overturn the veto. The House vote was
383 to 41 in favor of MIPPA. The Senate vote was 70 to 26 in favor of the override.
A two-thirds majority is required in order to overturn a presidential veto.
Congressional leaders viewed the president’s veto as an action against
the America’s seniors and quickly acted to ensure the bill’s passage.
“All of the seniors’ organizations and disabilities groups, of course,
support this legislation. Just about every healthcare providing group in our
country supports this legislation as well,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
D- Calif. “Except one, and that is some in the health insurance industry.
I guess the president was voting with them and not with America’s seniors
and those with disabilities when he vetoed the bill.”
Advocates praised the congressional action.
“Thanks to hard-won bi-partisan support in the House and Senate, America’s
seniors and their caregivers have averted physician pay cuts that would have
severely limited healthcare access to millions receiving Medicare,” exulted
Barbara B. Kennelly, President and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve
Social Security and Medicare.
“I hope this is just the first vote of many to come, which will reverse
the destructive and costly privatization of Medicare, begin a serious bi-partisan
debate about nationwide healthcare reform and strengthen the Medicare program
for future generations,” Kennelly concluded.
“This bipartisan legislation will help more Americans afford their healthcare
bills while bringing doctors’ offices and pharmacies into the 21st century
with e-prescribing,” stated Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois State Director. “This
bill would begin to bring down healthcare costs for millions of Americans while
reducing dangerous drug interactions with electronic prescriptions.”
While a successful override of the president’s veto had been anticipated,
early passage of the bill was less than certain. An earlier attempt at passage
had failed by one vote in the Senate. Senator Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., is credited
with breaking the deadlock and with creating the majority necessary to override
the veto.
Kennedy took a break from his battle with a brain tumor in order to cast his
vote.
“We witnessed last week a real profile in courage when Senator Ted Kennedy
returned to the well of the Senate to cast his vote in favor of healthcare for
seniors,” said Speaker Pelosi.
“He left his own physical challenge behind to come to the floor of the
Senate, all the way from Massachusetts, to be the 60th vote. It was such a historic
moment, and then nine Republican senators changed their votes on the strength
of Senator Kennedy’s vote,” she said.
The bill will be enacted pending procedural actions as a result of the successful
congressional vote overriding the president’s veto.
This page and its contents ©2008
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
