APHA Commends Senate Passage of Budget Amendment to Protect Medicaid From Proposed Cuts

Washington, D.C., March 17, 2005 - "We commend the Senate today for taking the courageous stand in passing an amendment to protect the health of our nation's most vulnerable citizens. The amendment, introduced by Sens. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), negates proposed cuts to the Medicaid program and creates a process to more thoughtfully approach Medicaid reform.

"Medicaid provides invaluable security for more than 50 million Americans, giving them access to primary and preventive health services they would otherwise be denied.

"We agree that there are ways the Medicaid program may be improved, but we should not sacrifice Americans' access to health care and risk the lives of millions for the sake of federal savings. We believe that good policy should drive budget decisions, not the other way around."