July 16, 2008
Rahall Joins in Voting to Override President Bush Veto
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Washington, DC (HNN) – The House and Senate overrode President Bush’s veto early Tuesday, July 15 of a bill that protects physicians from lower Medicare reimbursement rates. Now, instead of a cut, the current rates are frozen for 2008 and will increase 1.1% in 2009.
The House first voted to override the veto 383-41.
U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) issued the following statement following his vote to override the veto:
“Following the wish of the American people, Congress passed legislation to prevent harmful, outdated cuts to the Medicare program from going into effect. The President, however, chose to preserve those cuts and vetoed our legislation, endangering the health of more than 368,000 West Virginians who rely upon Medicare, especially those in the more remote, rural communities in my district where healthcare can be hard to find. I am pleased that the House was able to come together in a bipartisan fashion today and put a stop to these cuts and override the President’s misguided veto.”
The Senate responded by a 70-26 vote to override. A two-thirds majority of both houses is necessary to trump a Presidential veto.
Elderly patients and doctors had pressured Congress to void the rate cuts that took affect July 1.
The legislation allows more people to qualify for aid in paying monthly premiums, delays cuts to pharmacies dispensing generic drugs, and , lowers the co-payments for mental health treatment.
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Rahall Joins in Voting to Override President Bush Veto
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Washington, DC (HNN) – The House and Senate overrode President Bush’s veto early Tuesday, July 15 of a bill that protects physicians from lower Medicare reimbursement rates. Now, instead of a cut, the current rates are frozen for 2008 and will increase 1.1% in 2009.
The House first voted to override the veto 383-41.
U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) issued the following statement following his vote to override the veto:
“Following the wish of the American people, Congress passed legislation to prevent harmful, outdated cuts to the Medicare program from going into effect. The President, however, chose to preserve those cuts and vetoed our legislation, endangering the health of more than 368,000 West Virginians who rely upon Medicare, especially those in the more remote, rural communities in my district where healthcare can be hard to find. I am pleased that the House was able to come together in a bipartisan fashion today and put a stop to these cuts and override the President’s misguided veto.”
The Senate responded by a 70-26 vote to override. A two-thirds majority of both houses is necessary to trump a Presidential veto.
Elderly patients and doctors had pressured Congress to void the rate cuts that took affect July 1.
The legislation allows more people to qualify for aid in paying monthly premiums, delays cuts to pharmacies dispensing generic drugs, and , lowers the co-payments for mental health treatment.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
