Bush: Take From The Poor-Give To The Rich! Part 2

It was just last week that I talked about that knucklehead in
the White House and his cuts in healthcare. Well it looks as if
he is pressing forward with these cuts and at such a time
when peoples are setting sites on healthcare for everyone.
Bush's action just goes to show how really out of tune he is
with the people.



WASHINGTON — At a time when states are striving to expand healthcare coverage, the Bush administration is pressing ahead with plans to cut nearly $4 billion in aid for public hospitals and other providers of last resort for the uninsured. The cuts would affect hospital funding provided by Washington as part of Medicaid, the federal-state program known in California as Medi-Cal.

It serves more than 55 million low-income people, including the working poor, elderly nursing home residents with few financial resources, and many children of low-income parents. In addition, it has provided funds for hospitals and other healthcare institutions that serve large numbers of uninsured patients. Public hospital officials said California institutions could lose $500 million a year under the reductions, with the Los Angeles County public health system taking an estimated annual cut of $200 million.

"It's equivalent to shutting down all the outpatient clinics we own and operate, as well as those we contract with in the community," said county health chief Dr. Bruce Chernof.The cuts are prompting sharp protests from governors and dozens of lawmakers, partly because they represent an end run around congressional defenders of the aid program. After failing to get Congress to approve the reductions last year, the administration is now trying to impose them through a regulation that does not require action on Capitol Hill.

"The administration is moving forward with these proposed changes without any input from Congress or governors," the National Governors Assn. complained Friday in a letter to congressional leaders. In an unusually direct challenge to the administration, the governors asked Congress to pass legislation that would block the rule from going into effect.




This Article Continues Here:






Get your copy of the award winning King:
"From Atlanta to the Mountain top.
"It's the 3-Hour Docudrama that tells
the story of the Civil Rights movement
and the life of its Drum Major for Peace,
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
To learn more and hear excerpts
from this treasured program,
click here:
http://www.kingprogram.net/