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MEDICARE TURNS 44 TODAY, DESPITE CONGRESSMAN BLUNT’S EFFORTS TO KILL IT
For Immediate Release: July 30, 2009 MEDICARE TURNS 44 TODAY, DESPITE CONGRESSMAN BLUNT’S EFFORTS TO KILL IT Blunt Has Long History of Working against Medicare and Medicaid Most Recent Comments Caught on Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3ah8oViQWA But his long record in Congress and as a member of the congressional leadership shows a pattern of trying to gut Medicare and Medicaid: --30--
Contact: Ryan Hobart (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125
Jefferson City, Mo – On the anniversary of Medicare being signed into law right here in Missouri, Representative Blunt’s recent comments against the Medicare program are just another example of his long history of anti-Medicare stances and associations.
“Representative Blunt’s longstanding relationship with Washington-based special interests and lobbyists who oppose health insurance reform is nothing new. He has received nearly two million dollars in donations from insurance and health industry donors that profit from the current system,” said Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Brian Zuzenak. “People deserve to know about his opposition to a program that helps nearly one million Missourians receive health insurance coverage. Once they see who he is really working for, I think voters will agree that he has spent too much time in Washington and shouldn’t become a United States Senator.”
In the past few weeks, Congressman Blunt has been caught on tape bashing Medicare, offering up such nuggets as:
· “We've had Medicare since 1965 but, Medicare has never done anything to make people more healthy.” ( View YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3ah8oViQWA )
· "You could certainly argue that government should have never gotten into the health care business, and that might have been the best argument of all to figure out how people could have had more access to the competitive marketplace," Blunt said. "The government did get into the health care business in a big way in 1965 with Medicare and later with Medicaid. And government already distorts the marketplace" [The Hill 07/10/09] http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/07/10/blunt-suggests-medicare-medicaid-were-mistakes/
· In 2006, Congressman Blunt voted in favor of language in a bill that cut $6.4 billion from Medicare in part by raising premiums for some Part B beneficiaries. [HRS653, Vote 4 <http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll004.xml> , 2/01/06]
· In 2005, Congressman Blunt voted in favor of cutting $11.4 billion from Medicaid over five years. The bulk of the cuts - nearly $8 billion - would fall directly on patients through higher co-pays, premiums and other provisions that cut benefits or delayed access to Medicaid coverage. [HR4241, Vote 601 <http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll601.xml> , 11/18/05]
· Congressman Blunt voted to cut Medicare funding by $115 billion in 1997. (HRS 202, Vote 343, 7/30/1997)
And his long record in Congress and as a member of the congressional leadership shows that he has received nearly $2 million in campaign contributions from health industry and insurance special interests:
· Blunt Has Received $553,682 From Insurance Industry. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Rep. Blunt has received $553,682 in campaign contributions from the insurance industry over the course of his career. [Center for Responsive Politics]
· Blunt’s PAC Has Taken More Than $981,000 From Health Industries. According to records, Blunt’s leadership PAC, the Rely on Your Beliefs (ROYB) Fund, has received $981,137 from health industries including pharmaceuticals/health products, health professionals, insurance, and health services industries. [Center for Responsive Politics]
· Blunt Has Received More Than $450,000 From Pharmaceutical Industry. According to records, Blunt has received $456,222 during his career from the pharmaceutical and health products industries for his congressional campaigns. [Center for Responsive Politics]
