For Immediate Release

June 27, 2008

Contact: Matthew Miller, 202-485-3123

Hannah August, 202-485-3129

SUNUNU CASTS DECIDING VOTE TO JEOPARDIZE SENIORS’ ACCESS TO DOCTORS

Single vote would have prevented Medicare cuts to hospitals, doctors

New Hampshire Republican Senator John Sununu last night cast the deciding vote against legislation to prevent steep cuts in Medicare reimbursement rates to physicians slated to take effect next week.  Without the vital fix, millions of senior will be unable to easily access care as many doctors are expected to stop seeing Medicare patients. The bill Sununu blocked would have been paid for by ending costly overpayments to private insurance companies and HMOs participating in Medicare, while improving both mental health access for veterans and Medicare programs for rural seniors. At least 162 organizations representing seniors, patients, physicians, and other health care companies endorsed the bill that passed the House Tuesday with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 355-59, and last night was killed in the Senate by Sununu’s single vote.

“John Sununu once again picked the wrong side of the fight, standing in the corner with the HMO lobby’s profits instead of on the side of New Hampshire seniors,” DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller said.  “John Sununu’s deciding vote will have disastrous effects for seniors, veterans and doctors, and that’s a vote Granite Staters can hardly afford.  If John Sununu continues to stand up for special interests instead of New Hampshire, he’s going to be standing alone come November.”

Sununu Voted To Cut Medicaid Funding or Against Increased Funding At Least 13 Times.  Since coming to Congress, Sununu has voted to cut or against increased funding for Medicare at least thirteen times.  [Vote 92, 3/22/07; Vote 62, 3/16/06; Vote 363, 12/21/05; Vote 303, 11/3/05; Vote 287, 11/3/05; Vote 291, 11/3/05; Vote 7, 1/7/03; Vote 21, 1/23/03; Vote 89, 3/25/03; Vote 166, 6/5/97; Vote 241, 6/25/97; Vote 343, 7/30/97; Vote 345, 7/30/97]

Sununu Has Received $646,874 From the Insurance Industry.  Since his first run for Congress, Sununu has received at least $ 646,874 in campaign contributions from the insurance industry.  [Center for Responsive Politics]

Without a fix, 60% of doctors will stop seeing new Medicare patients.  A survey shows that 60% of doctors will be forced to restrict the number of new Medicare patients they see if reimbursement rates fall 10.6% on July 1, while the nonpartisan expert Medicare Payment Advisory Commission reports that already 30% of Medicare patients looking for a new primary care physician have trouble finding  one.  [AMA, 6/9/08; MedPAC, March 2008]

Sununu votes against seniors to preserve overpayments to HMOs.  According to the nonpartisan, well-respected Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, private insurance companies in the Medicare Advantage program will be paid 113% of the average per-beneficiary cost – an extra $1,000 per patient – and their beneficiaries are healthier, and so less expensive to cover.  [MedPAC, March 2008; MedPAC, June 2007]

Vote will cost New Hampshire doctors $40 million in the first year and a half. The American Medical Association says that the Medicare payment cuts for physician services will cost New Hampshire physicians $40 million from July 2008 to December 2009 alone. [American Medical Association]