Late Wednesday, the House Budget Committee voted 22-17--along party lines--to approve a version of the FY07 budget that does not include President Bush’s proposed reduction in the growth of Medicare payments to hospitals and other providers, according to reports from the committee and in USA Today. The budget plan does include a cap on budgets of government agencies. In his opening statement yesterday prior to the vote, committee chairman Rep. Jim Nussle (R-Iowa) emphasized the need to reform mandatory spending programs, such as Medicare, to ensure they continue to serve the people who need them. He characterized the committee's budget recommendations as a “small--but critical--next step.” The committee's plan will be debated by the full House next week. Earlier this month, the Senate Budget Committee eliminated the proposed Medicare cuts from its version of the budget.
