Health interests make cases to super committee

For instance, hospital groups are urging the panel not to reduce bad-debt payments, saying such a step would take a toll on the hospital safety net. Others are asking that entitlements in general and Medicare specifically be protected.   

Modern Healthcare: Hospital Groups Urge Super Committee Not To Reduce Bad-Debt Payments
Six groups, including the American Hospital Association and Catholic Health Association, submitted a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction asking the panel to nix a plan to reduce Medicare bad-debt payments. "An arbitrary cut to Medicare bad-debt payments on behalf of seniors is bad policy that will weaken the hospital safety net that seniors rely on," the Oct. 6 letter read (Selvam, 10/6).

The Hill: Liberal Dems Urge Super Committee To Preserve Medicare
Liberal leaders in the House are urging the budget super committee's members to prioritize economic recovery and entitlement programs over spending cuts as they search for ways to slash deficits. Democratic Reps. Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.) and Keith Ellison (Minn.), co-chairmen of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), argued that creating jobs, raising revenue and protecting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are "the necessary components to truly repair the American economy." "We ask that you lead the Select Committee by these simple core principles," the liberals wrote in a letter they're readying for delivery to the Super Committee's co-chairmen, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) (Lillis, 10/6).

Roll Call: Progressive Caucus Urges Entitlements To Be Taken Off Table
The Congressional Progressive Caucus is asking Democrats to support its position that the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction should raise taxes on the rich and keep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security off the table. The caucus plans to send a letter to the super committee asking it to focus on three key principles: creating jobs, raising revenues and protecting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. The CPC's co-chairmen, Reps. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), are in the process of gathering signatures from other House Democrats for the letter, which will be sent to Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who co-chair the super committee (Newhauser, 10/6).