For Immediate Release
October 23, 2006
Contact: Damien LaVera 202-863-8148

Washington, D.C. - America's senior citizens and people with disabilities are once again paying the price for the failed leadership and misplaced priorities of the Bush Republicans in Washington. This month, the Bush Republicans running the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new Power Mobility Devices (PMD) Fee Schedule and a new Coverage Policy that will drastically reduce reimbursements and eligibility for power mobility equipment. Beginning November 15, these changes, which will slash Medicare payments for power wheelchairs by up to 41 percent, will place these wheelchairs out of reach for countless seniors and people with disabilities.

"The Bush Administration's decision to make wheelchairs less accessible to seniors and Americans with disabilities is one of the most glaring examples of the need for a new direction for America," said Becky Ogle, DNC Senior Advisor on Disability. "For many seniors and people with disabilities - including people diagnosed with ALS, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries and severe brain injuries - mobility equipment is vital for independent living. Every American deserves the opportunity to live the American Dream, and to make their contribution to our society. Robbing people of their mobility and independence, robs them of that opportunity."

"By slashing the Medicare reimbursement to pay for their special interest tax cuts, the Bush Republicans have once again put the interests of their party and their special interest friends ahead of the country. While they found the money to force through a disastrous Medicare drug plan for their friends in the insurance industry and passed reckless special interest tax cuts that have produced record deficits, they refuse to find the money to ensure that seniors and people with disabilities can get reimbursed for their wheelchairs. Republicans are not content to see seniors fall into the Medicare Part D donut hole; now they want to take their wheelchairs away, too."

"Democrats are offering a new direction for Americans with disabilities, one that provides the resources needed to make independent living an affordable reality for countless seniors and people with disabilities."

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Printer-friendly version of this article
(Link opens in a new browser window)

You can comment on this article by posting a response at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/504Dems/message/4962