President Bush vetoes Medicare bill!

[napi21]

President George W. Bush vetoed a bill Tuesday that could have blocked a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors and other health care providers.

The proposed cuts were slated to take effect July 1, but the start date was delayed by Bush to give Congress additional time to act with legislation.

Both the U.S. Senate and House voted to block the cuts in late June and early July. The legislation delayed the cuts by 18 months and also gave 1.1 percent increase in reimbursements for physicians and other health care providers and bonuses for doctors serving in rural communities.

But some say a Congressional override of the veto could be next. The House passed the bill blocking the cuts by 359-55 in June, more than the 290 votes needed to override a presidential veto. The Senate passed the bill last week with a 69-30 vote, just two votes more than what it would need for an override.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/07/14/daily31.html?f=et50&ana=e_du

I hope the next votes in congress are even MORE slanted against Shrub's nasty veto! He never did GAS about anybody but his big $$ supporters, and now he doesn't even have to pretend that he does!

[jkshaw]

1. I hope the Republicans voting with the Dems to block the cuts

are not strong-armed by the White House into not voting for the override.