HELP!!!! My Bush butt-kissing congressman claims SCHIP bill cuts Medicare programs for seniors

[PA Democrat]

I am sure that Congressman Murphy's objection is that he does not want to expand SCHIP, but to accomplish this he will pit senior citizens against uninsured children. Anyone know if the claims Murphy makes in today's Pittsburgh Post Gazette are accurate? Anyone else seeing this tactic used by their Republican congress critter? Here is part of Murphy's opinion piece:

Why CHAMP is a chump
In an attempt to help children, the House passes a bill that would hurt seniors
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
By U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy


The House of Representatives recently took a step back in its commitment to offering real health-care reforms when it passed the well-intentioned, but critically misguided Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act. The legislation, which provides health insurance for children from low-income families under the State Children's Health Insurance Program, also severely cuts medical benefits for seniors.

As a health-care provider in a hospital setting, I have seen firsthand the benefits of SCHIP. Pennsylvania's SCHIP program provides comprehensive medical care to low-income children including immunizations, routine check-ups, prescription drugs, dental care, mental-health benefits, up to 90 days of hospitalization a year, medical equipment, rehabilitation therapies and home health care.

I support an aggressive effort to enroll the children who are eligible to receive benefits. There are thousands of children who qualify to receive benefits but are not enrolled in the SCHIP program because their families do not know they are eligible.

Congress had been working in a bipartisan manner to reauthorize the SCHIP program. Many options were presented to ensure children currently in the program retain their insurance and to enroll eligible children without health insurance. Unfortunately, it was CHAMP that was ultimately brought to the House floor for a vote.

More at:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07234/811090-109.stm

[PA Democrat]

1. I found info to debunk one of his claims

MURPHY claims:

Under the CHAMP bill, Medicare Advantage programs were cut by $157 billion. These plans provide health-care benefits such as disease management programs and preventive care that monitor the overall well-being of seniors

In reality:

This bill strengthens the Medicare program for all beneficiaries and saves $157 billion over ten years by phasing out unjustified overpayments to Medicare Advantage private plans. These plans right now are paid 12 percent more than fee-for-service Medicare, without any clear benefit to seniors in relation to the extra money we are spending. What’s worse, these overpayments shorten the solvency of the Medicare
hospital trust fund by two years. Efficient, well-run private plans can compete on a level playing field with traditional Medicare and attract customers. To continue to subsidize plans that are of dubious additional benefit to seniors is inefficient and weakens Medicare for all seniors over the long run. By phasing out Medicare Advantage overpayments, the CHAMP Act makes great strides in reducing waste in the Medicare
program.

http://www.house.gov/budget_democrats/analyses/08CHAMP_act.pdf

[Bitwit1234]

2. I am sure there are sites on the net that have the bill

when I am surfing the net and remember I'll search and post the link to the bill.