Marathon Pundit: Democrats vote for half a trillion in Medicare cuts

Senate Democrats voted for change a lot of people, particularly seniors, won't believe in.

From a Senate Republican Communications Center press release:

Democrats Vote For A Half Trillion Dollars In Medicare Cuts

Voted To Preserve Cuts To Seniors' Care For Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Hospice, Home Health Programs, Medicare Advantage, And More…

58 Democrats Vote For A Half Trillion Dollars In Medicare Cuts
(H.R. 3590 Motion To Commit H.R. 3590 With Instructions, Roll Call Vote #358, Motion Not Agreed To 42-58: R 40-0; D 2-58; I 0-2, 12/3/09)

CBO: Medicare Cuts Could “Reduce Access To Care Or Diminish The Quality Of Care.” (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Sen. Harry Reid, 11/18/09, P. 1, 17)

$135 BILLION IN CUTS TO HOSPITALS SERVING SENIORS
(CBO, E-mail To Senate Leadership Staff, 11/20/09)

$120 BILLION IN CUTS TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE

“Setting Payment Rates In The Medicare Advantage Program… $118 Billion.” “Setting payment rates in the Medicare Advantage program on the basis of the average of the bids submitted by Medicare Advantage plans in each market, yielding savings of an estimated $118 billion (before interactions) over the 2010– 2019 period.” (CBO director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Sen. Harry Reid, 11/18/09, P. 10)

· “Medicare Advantage Payment… 2010-2019… -118.1 [Billion Dollars].” (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Sen. Harry Reid, 11/18/09, p. 28)

1.9 Billion Cut To Medicare Advantage Resulting From A Coding Intensity Adjustment: “Subtitle B—Improving Medicare for Patients and Providers; PART III—IMPROVING PAYMENT ACCURACY; Subtitle C—Provisions Relating to Part C; 3203; Application of Coding Intensity Adjustment… 2010-2019… -1.9 [Billion Dollars].” (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Sen. Harry Reid, 11/18/09, P. 28)

MORE THAN $40 BILLION CUT FROM HOME HEALTH AGENCIES
(CBO, E-mail To Senate Leadership Staff, 11/20/09)

NEARLY $15 BILLION IN CUTS TO NURSING HOMES
(CBO, E-mail To Senate Leadership Staff, 11/20/09)

NEARLY $8 BILLION FROM HOSPICES
(CBO, E-mail To Senate Leadership Staff, 11/20/09)