House votes to cut Medicare/Medicaid funding

Congress approved a package of budget cuts that would trim spending on Medicaid and Medicaid by billions over the next decade. The Congressional Budget Office said the budget bill would save the federal government $26.5 billion on Medicaid and $22.3 billion on Medicare over the next 10 years. Critics say the cuts would unfairly target the poor and other disadvantaged groups, including senior citizens. The Senate must still approve any major changes, however, so many analysts see the vote as largely symbolic, although not all are in agreement on that point.

Powerful lobbying groups like AARP left no doubt how they felt about the proposals, including new restrictions on accessing Medicaid funding for long-term care, issuing stark warnings to Senators that they would retaliate against those who back the cuts. AARP CEO Bill Novelli warned, "We will make sure that our members across the country fully understand the impact of this... on them and on their families."

- see this article from The Hill
- read this article from The New York Times