Agency Sees Withholding of Medicare Data From Congress as Illegal

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, May 3 — The Congressional Research Service says the Bush administration apparently violated federal law by ordering the chief Medicare actuary to withhold information from Congress indicating that the new Medicare law could cost far more than White House officials had said.

In a report on Monday, the research service said that Congress's "right to receive truthful information from federal agencies to assist in its legislative functions is clear and unassailable." Since 1912, it said, federal laws have protected the rights of federal employees to communicate with Congress, and recent laws have "reaffirmed and strengthened" those protections.

The actuary, Richard S. Foster, has testified that he was ordered to withhold the cost estimates last year, when Congress was considering legislation to add a drug benefit to Medicare. The order, he said, came from Thomas A. Scully, who was then the administrator of Medicare.

Mr. Foster said Mr. Scully threatened to discipline him for insubordination if he gave Congress the data.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/04/politics/04DRUG.html

[Q3JR4]

1. That's great...or bad

depending on how you want to look at it.

I wonder if anyone is going to do anything about it?

[drfemoe]

5. DC is Overwhelmed ..

there are so many scandals and crimes, there aren't enough people to DO anything about the mudslide!

Maybe we should call in FEMA and evacuate DC. Start over.

It is mind blowing. Who needs hallucinogens?

[MadashellLynn]

2. but I wonder if that means

that the medicare vote can be undone or are we stuck with it?

[hang a left]

4. We are probably stuck.

Just like the election in California where the fraud was discovered after the fact. Don't even get me started on Florida.

[MadashellLynn]

3. does anyone know if that means

that it will undue the Medicare bill or are we still stuck with it?