Dear Senators and Representatives:
As physicians and physicians in training, we call upon Congress to reject the drastic cuts to Medicare and Medicaid in the budget proposal recently passed by the House of Representatives. We believe the approach to these programs should be one of innovation - not the current drastic cuts which amount to an amputation of both programs.
Medicare and Medicaid protect the health of 1 in 3 Americans. For decades, these programs have provided access to care for millions of seniors, children, and the disabled who otherwise could not afford medical care. With the House-passed budget plan:
- Medicare changes would cause seniors and the disabled to have to pay an increasing amount out of their fixed incomes. Millions of seniors would find themselves unable to afford the care they need to stay healthy and out of the hospital.
- Medicaid changes would cause states to make stark cuts in services. Millions of children and working families would find themselves with no way to see a doctor when they need one.
As doctors who handle life and death situations every day, we know our health care system can both cut costs and improve quality while still providing Americans with the health care they need.
We are committed to ensuring that we as a nation can reach that goal.
We ask you to reject the recent budget proposal and the devastating effect it would have on millions. Instead, we ask you to commit to working with us: innovate, don't amputate Medicare and Medicaid.