Doctors Join Barletta, Former NY Gov. Pataki In Calling For Repeal Of Healthcare Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Shawn Kelly, Communications
Friday, October 15, 2010 HQ: (570) 501-8683

HAZLETON – Local doctors joined U.S. Congressional candidate Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta and former New York Gov. George Pataki in calling for the repeal of the new healthcare law.

Dr. Victor F. Greco, one of Pennsylvania's most respected voices for quality health care during and after his distinguished 30-year career as a general and thoracic surgeon, and Dr. Mark Puffenberger, a 20-year family practitioner in the Wilkes-Barre area, said the new healthcare law will dramatically affect patient care. Also participating was Donna Baver Rovito, a longtime advocate for quality health care in Pennsylvania who served on the board of the Pennsylvania Medical Society's political action committee and as legislation chair for the Pennsylvania Medical Society Alliance.

“We are going to see the word ‘cost-effective’ play a bigger role in healthcare decisions,” Dr. Greco said. “I’m very concerned about the lack of primary care physicians when you add 32 million new patients. The shortage means physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners will take over healthcare. They do great work, but they don’t have the background and training a doctor has.”

Dr. Puffenberger said, “I’m very concerned that patients are going to spend a lot of time waiting to see a physician. The thought of having coverage for everyone is a great thought, but there is already a primary care physician shortage, and this law will make that worse.”

Gov. Pataki said, “Today, our freedom is in danger again. It is in danger because we have politicians in Washington passing laws that are taking away our freedoms. We need to repeal Obamacare and replace it with true reform. Under this law, more than four million senior citizens will see their Medicare Advantage taken from them. That’s what this law does.”

Gov. Pataki also criticized Lou Barletta’s opponent, 26-year incumbent Congressman Paul Kanjorski, saying, “ I guarantee you that he today could not tell you what’s in Obamacare. I encourage everyone, regardless of party, to vote for Lou Barletta.”

Lou Barletta thanked the doctors and Gov. Pataki for his support. “We are at a crossroads in this country’s history and time is running out. We thought our voices were heard about this healthcare bill. Citizens from coast to coast opposed this bill. But the administration and Paul Kanjorski didn’t stop. They didn’t pause. They passed this bill anyway, against the will of the people.

“The new healthcare law must be stopped before it does any more harm. It should be defunded, if not repealed entirely. I support parts of the law – allowing children to remain on their parents’ policies through age 26, and extending coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. However, the final law overreaches and isn’t worth the cost – either in its tax increases or in the $500 billion cut to Medicare. Healthcare decisions should be made between a patient and a doctor, without government interference,” Barletta added.

Kanjorski Vote On Healthcare To Raise Price For All

FoxNews.com is reporting that new government figures show Obamacare under Barack Obama's costly healthcare overhaul that Paul Kanjorski voted for will increase the tab for everyone.

The nation's health care tab will go up -- not down -- as a result of President Barack Obama's sweeping overhaul. That's the conclusion of a government forecast released Thursday, which also finds the increase will be modest.

Here's what Paul Kanjorski had to say on March 21, 2010 about his vote for the healthcare overhaul.

"Today I will vote for legislation designed to improve the affordability and accessibility of health care. Americans already spend more on health care than the people of any other nation. If we take no action, health care costs are expected to double over the next ten years, just as they have over the last ten years.

The 60 Plus Association, as reported in the Times-Tribune, started television commercials attacking Paul Kanjorski for his misguided vote on the healthcare overhaul.

A conservative-leaning, nonprofit issues group will launch close to a $500,000 television advertising campaign locally today portraying U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski as a Washington liberal who voted for a costly health care reform bill that cuts Medicare by $500 billion.



Ed Mitchell, Kanjorski media consultant said. "Who in their right minds believes that he(Kanjorski) would (have) voted to cut Medicare by $500 billion?" The answer Mr. Mitchell is the Congressional Budget Office back in 2009.

Congress’ chief budget officer on Tuesday contradicted President Barack Obama’s oft-stated claim that seniors wouldn’t see their Medicare benefits cut under a health care overhaul.

The head of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Douglas Elmendorf, told senators that seniors in Medicare’s managed care plans could see reduced benefits under a bill in the Finance Committee.

The bill would cut payments to the Medicare Advantage plans by more than $100 billion over 10 years.

Elmendorf said the changes “would reduce the extra benefits that would be made available to beneficiaries through Medicare Advantage plans.”

SHAWN BISHOP, SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBER: “The $113 billion dollars is a reduction in the extra benefits, the added, additional benefits that Medicare Advantage enrollees have available to them. And those benefits come in the form of vision, dental, reduced hospital deductible. It’s unstatutory, it’s unlawful for any Medicare Advantage plan to reduce the AB covered benefit that they provide. That’s by statute. They have to provide that. They are going to have a reduction in the added benefits that they have in Medicare Advantage. So there’s a reduction in benefits but its additional extra benefits that they have above what they’re entitled to by law on the fee for service side.” (Finance Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 9/22/09).

Ed Morrissey states in his article "Only an idiot would conclude that $500 billion in cuts to Medicare over 10 years would mean no reduction in benefits". Elmendorf is speaking not just from hard data but also common sense. Any attempt to get that level of “savings” from Medicare will necessarily cut the benefits going to its recipients. Trying to cast that as a myth is either an indication of mathematical incompetence, political dishonesty, or both.

I guess that answers Mitchell's question.