In Colo. and Mass., worries about health care impact of super committee's failure

Denver Post: Uncertainty Over Possible Federal Cuts "Crippling" Colorado Companies
"Uncertainty" was a word used repeatedly Monday by Colorado economists and industries in lamenting the failure of the congressional super committee  ... Health care is another area with super committee consequences, resulting "in millions of dollars in reduced Medicare payments to Colorado providers for many years to come" by restricting access, Steven Summer, president of the Colorado Hospital Association, said in a statement (Schrader and Jackson, 11/22).

Denver Post: Colorado To Feel The Pain Of Funding Cuts After Debt Panel Fails
On the domestic side, Social Security, Medicaid, veterans' benefits, student Pell grants and a host of low-income programs would be mostly untouched. While some advocates applaud that protection the Democrats built into the deal, that means a roughly 8 percent reduction out of other departments crucial to jobs and projects in Colorado (Sherry, 11/22).

The Boston Globe: Cuts Would Hit Key Mass. Industries
The more than $1 trillion in federal budget cuts that could come in January 2013 would slash Massachusetts' research funding, Medicare payments to hospitals, and contracts for defense companies -; all vital sectors of the state's economy. The state stands to lose more than $680 million in federal research funding, about 9 percent of what it is estimated to receive. Hospital officials warn of longer wait times, fewer physicians, and an overall reduction of services at certain hospitals (Viser, 11/22).