Yesterday, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) successfully pushed the U.S. House of Representatives to vote on a measure that averts devastating Medicare cuts for Iowa’s health care providers that are set to take effect at the end of this month.
“I’ve been crystal clear with our leaders that I will not accept these Medicare cuts that are looming at the end of this year, and I’m proud to have led the effort in the House to act on preventing them,” said Rep. Axne. “Our health care workers are working night and day to protect Iowans and keep them healthy, and they should not be forced to pay the price of Congressional inaction.”
The House voted Tuesday to prevent these cuts within legislation that also creates an expedited path to prevent the U.S. from defaulting on its debt.
Earlier this week, Rep. Axne led a letter signed by more than a dozen House Democrats calling for immediate action to prevent the cuts that would affect frontline health workers, including those at hospitals and other health care settings.
“We…strongly urge quick and decisive action to prevent the harmful cuts to our nation’s hospitals, doctors and other health care professionals that are set to take effect on January 1, 2022,” Axne and the other members wrote. “Cutting Medicare reimbursement to our health care heroes during a pandemic is simply unacceptable. We stand ready to work with you to introduce, whip for, and vote to pass legislation to reverse these cuts, as well to work with you to identify ways to pay for reversing these cuts. We are opposed to paying for preventing these cuts with additional provider cuts.”
Rep. Axne led this effort with Rep. Susan Wild (PA-07).
Original source can be found here.
