Medicare

Health bill survives first big test - on Medicare

WASHINGTON – Unflinching on a critical first test, Senate Democrats closed ranks Thursday behind $460 billion in politically risky Medicare cuts at the heart of health care legislation, thwarting a Republican attempt to doom President Barack Obama's sweeping overhaul.

The bid by the bill's critics to reverse cuts to the popular Medicare program failed on a vote of 58-42, drawing the support of two Democratic defectors. Approval would have stripped out money needed to pay for expanding coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans.

Kliphnote: Let me get this straight. The senate Democrats want to cut almost a half a trillion dollars from Medicare to pay for those that don't have health insurance. Medicare is for those 65 years of age and older.

You know, those that have been working for 45 years or more paying into Medicare, every year their whole working life. The ones that made this country great.

Now the Democrats want to cut benefits to Medicare Advantage, Part C. That would force Senior Citizens to pay more out of pocket for medical care.

All this to pay for those that don't have insurance, and many that don't work, or never have worked.

I like to know when congress is going to take a cut in their tax payer funded health care benefits.

When was the last time there was a cut in Medicaid?