Shaheen takes aim at Sununu’s Medicare vote

Jeanne Shaheen speaking at a senior center: Photo Credit: PolitickerNH.comPORTSMOUTH-- U.S. Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen (D-Madbury) accused U.S. Sen. John Sununu (R-Waterville Valley) of standing up for insurance companies after Sununu voted to uphold President Bush's veto of a recent Medicare bill. Sununu said Shaheen is "out of touch" and that he supported legislation that would have protected Medicare Advantage.

Yesterday the House and Senate overrode Bush's veto of a bill that would have cut Medicare reimbursements to doctors. The version passed by Congress instead will cut payments to insurance companies. In 1998 Congress approved a reduction in reimbursements to doctors as a way to reduce Medicare spending, a provision which went into effect on July 1. However, Congressional Democrats argued that seniors would have a harder time finding doctors if the cut was enacted. The bill will cut payments to companies that run the Medicare Advantage program, which affects over 8,000 Granite State seniors.

"When Washington is choosing insurance company profits mover health care for New Hampshire families, something has got to change and it's got to change now," Shaheen told a group of 20 senior citizens at Portsmouth's Parrott Avenue Place Senior Citizens Center. "I believe we should be working to make health care more affordable and more accessible for New Hampshire families."

Sununu said he supported a bill that would have fully reimbursed doctors, increased funding for hospitals and protected Medicare Advantage.

"Jeanne Shaheen read the press release from Washington special interests but unfortunately she forgot to read the bill," Sununu said in a statement. "Millions in additional funding for New Hampshire hospitals would have strengthened our health care infrastructure, technology, community health centers and financial support for doctors and nurses across the state."

Shaheen told PolitickerNH.com that it is Sununu who is "out of touch."

"There was overwhelming bipartisan support to overturn Bush's veto," Shaheen said. "He's the one that is out of touch with New Hampshire seniors and disabled people. We need someone who is going to stand-up for them and against Bush's policies."

Shaheen told the group she would like to change patent laws to allow drugs to arrive on the market faster, allow for the re-importation of pharmaceutical drugs and focus the health care system on wellness and prevention issues.