Reader Responses

The Texas Alliance for Retired Americans is dismayed and extremely disappointed with senators Kay Hutchison and John Cornyn in their putting the interests of HMOs and insurance companies ahead of those of older Texans and the state's working families.

In the Senate on Thursday night, June 26, supporters of H.R. 633, the "Medicare Improvements for Patients and providers Act of 2008," fell one vote short of the 60 needed to close debate and bring the measure up for a vote. Their votes would have made the difference.

On Tuesday, the U.S. House had voted 355-59 in favor of the bill, which would have helped more seniors qualify for help paying Medicare premiums by fixing the current personal assets test. In addition, the bill would have stopped scheduled payment cuts to doctors who treat Medicare patients and improved Medicare's preventive benefits, by eliminating several co-payments and bringing mental health parity to Medicare benefits. The final vote was 58-40, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) changing his vote to "No" to preserve the right to bring up the legislation again later.

Once again, our Texas senators, Cornyn and Hutchison, voted against older Texans and working families in favor of the HMOs and insurance companies. Their "nay" votes were a direct attack on financially hard-strapped older Texans and working families who rely on Medicare.

On Friday, the politically powerful, 43,000-member Texas Medical Association withdrew its support from Senator Cornyn. In its letter notifying Cornyn of its decision to withdraw its support, the association wrote that it was outraged that he decided to vote with the Bush administration in the Medicare vote. The group said the vote would hurt senior citizens, people with disabilities and military families.

The Texas Alliance for Retired Americans calls on all Texans to join us in demanding that senators Hutchison and Cornyn vote for, rather than against, seniors when the bill comes up again, after the fourth of July break.

Shane Fox
Vice President
Community Organizations
Texas Alliance for Retired Americans