DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION COVERAGE: Watch this space for frequent updates!
Home > Window on Washington > Archives > 2008 > June > 27 > Entry
Cornyn losing endorsement of Texas Medical Association
The political action committee of the Texas Medical Association, furious about a Thursday night vote on a Medicare-funding bill, is going to rescind its endorsement of Sen. John Cornyn’s re-election bid, two sources familiar with the association said.
Cornyn and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison voted to stall a bill that would have prevented a 10 percent cut in Medicare funding for physicians, prompting an unusually harsh reaction from the medical association, which has 43,000 members and is one of the most powerful trade groups in Texas politics.
The two Republican senators say they wanted a 30-day extension that would have prevented the cuts, which are scheduled to take effect July 1.
Here’s the letter from the chair of the medical association’s political action committee.
Dear Senator Cornyn:
The Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee (TEXPAC) is outraged that you made the decision to follow the direction of the Bush Administration and voted to protect health insurance companies at the expense of America’s seniors, those with disabilities, and military families.
On July 1 - just four days from now - the government will slash Medicare physician payments by at least 10.6 percent, even more in many parts of Texas. That will force physicians into an impossible choice: face financial crisis by continuing to see their Medicare patients, or protect their practices and cut off those patients.
There is talk and then there is action. We expect our elected officials to show leadership and do the right thing. Absent that, TEXPAC has rescinded our endorsement of your candidacy.
Sincerely,
Manuel Acosta, MD Chair
Comments
By Ipod Nana Online
August 25, 2008 7:45 PM | Link to this
Cool blog
Thanks, webmaster.
By best savings accounts
August 26, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this
Nice site
Thanks, webmaster.