Medicare Bill Is A Thanksgiving Turkey, Conservative Group Says
By: Administrative Account | Source: CNSNews.com
November 19, 2003 10:58AM EST

By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Morning Editor
November 19, 2003

(CNSNews.com) - A conservative think-tank is urging Congress to take more time to see what's in the Medicare reform bill before rushing it to President Bush's desk.

The National Center for Public Policy Research noted that the House Medicare reform bill is 747 pages long and the Senate bill is 1,043 pages. "Yet Congress is rushing to get votes in both chambers before Thanksgiving, giving legislators little time to consider the provisions," said Edmund F. Haislmaier, a health policy expert who serves on The National Center's board of directors.

"The money to pay for this bill will come from the pockets of the American people," Haislmaier said in a press release. "Shouldn't they be given enough time to review it so they can share informed views with their elected representatives?"

"The focus on Capitol Hill appears to be 'get a bill -- any bill,'" said Amy Ridenour, president of The National Center. "Yet the focus should be 'get a good bill.' It is better to get a decent bill by Christmas or Easter than a turkey by Thanksgiving," Ridenour said.

She wondered if any group of people, no matter how clever or well-intentioned, can spend over $400 billion wisely, given less than a week to think about it.

The National Center, a conservative/free-market think tank, is not the only group urging caution on the bill. Although the Bush administration and Republican congressional leaders are pushing for final passage of the bill, a taxpayer advocacy group called the legislation a "$400-billion debacle" earlier this week.

John Berthoud, president of the National Taxpayers Union, urged lawmakers to rise above "political expediency" and defeat the bill for the sake of future generations who face the prospect of Medicare bankruptcy.

The AARP has backed the measure, much to the dismay of objecting Democrats. The AARP said while the bill isn't perfect, it's a first step in the right direction.