FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2008
Contact:  Susan Miller
423/929-8753
smiller@osm-adv.co

Roe Hails Decision to Freeze Medicare Cuts
"Too Important to Play Games with Seniors' Care"

JOHNSON CITY, June 30 – A last-minute freeze in steep Medicare cuts scheduled to go into effect Tuesday was the right thing to do, Johnson City Mayor and Congressional candidate
Phil Roe (R) said today.

The cuts amount to a 10 percent reduction in the reimbursement physicians receive to treat Medicare patients.

“If these cuts are allowed to go through, it will be devastating for seniors,” said Roe, a retired physician.  “It will mean many doctors in our region will be forced to stop accepting Medicarepatients, severely limiting access to care.”

The freeze, put into effect by President Bush, was necessary because Congress failed to act before its July 4 recess.  Almost every year Congress finds a way to block such cuts, often at the last-minute.

“This is too important to play political games with our seniors’ care,” said Roe.  “If people wonder why I’m always saying it’s got to be about people, not politics, this is a prime example.” 

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