Listening session with local healthcare advocates elicits recommendations for responding to cuts

MALDEN, MA - On Thursday, August 11, 2011, Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Malden), dean of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation and senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee which has responsibility for health care, hosted a roundtable discussion at the John and Christina Markey Senior Center in Malden with members of the healthcare and senior citizens’ advocacy communities to discuss the recent Congressional budget law  that could lead to billions in healthcare cuts.

 
Earlier this month, Congress passed and the President signed into law legislation that will create a bipartisan Joint Committee tasked with proposing at least $1.2 billion in cuts to federal programs by the end of this year. Healthcare programs, including Medicare payments to hospitals and providers, Medicaid funding for states, and funding for National Institutes for Health research could be slated for significant cuts under this proposal. 
 
Rep. Markey told the participants of the roundtable - representatives from local hospitals, community health centers, and senior advocacy groups, “Your voices are important, and I want to hear from you about the situation you all are facing every day, especially in light of cuts I know many of you have already sustained this year. It is important that Congress understand how important these healthcare programs are to protecting the health of local seniors and middle class families before we make such dramatic decisions.”

Photos of the roundtable can be found HERE on Congressman Markey's Flickr feed.

healthcare_rt_website.jpg

###