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| Democrats Refuse to Join Medicaid Commission |
| Thursday, May 26, 2005 |
Democrats are once again refusing an invitation to discuss public policy -- this one involving a new Medicaid Commission, an advisory panel that's supposed to recommend ways of "modernizing" Medicaid and making it "financially sustainable."
As directed by Congress, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt established the commission earlier this month.
By September, the panel must recommend ways of saving the program $10 billion over five years; and by the end of 2006, the panel must submit recommendations to sustain the program over the long term.
On Thursday, Democrat leaders refused an invitation to appoint four non-voting Democrats to the advisory panel.
"After much deliberation, we have decided not to appoint Members of the Senate and House as non-voting members of the administration's Medicaid Commission. An invitation to Democrats to select four Members of the Senate and House to advisory roles without a vote is wholly inadequate to lend any Commission even the air of bipartisanship," said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid in a joint statement.
Pelosi and Reid complained that the administration will select all 15 voting members of the commission as well as 15 non-voting advisers. In addition, House and Senate Republican leaders will select four non-voting Republican advisors -- the same invitation that was extended to Democrats.
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posted by J.R. @ 3:51:00 PM   |
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