Following a Memorial Day recess next week, Grassley will lead Senate consideration of a bill to improve the Medicare program and add a prescription drug benefit for seniors. Today Bush expressed his support for Grassley-sponsored legislation to enhance Medicare payments to rural health care providers as part of that larger Medicare bill.
Last week, Grassley won overwhelming support from senators in an 86-12 vote to include his Medicare legislation in the jobs and economic growth tax bill. That Medicare provision did not remain in the final tax bill this week due to opposition from the House of Representatives.
Grassley is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which is responsible for tax and Medicare policy. The text of the president's letter to Grassley follows here.
May 22, 2003
Senator Charles Grassley
Committee on Finance
United States Senate
Washington, DC
Dear Chairman Grassley,
I want to congratulate you on Senate passage of the jobs and growth bill, and also on the passage of your amendment to that bill which increased federal assistance to rural providers through the Medicare program.
When we met in the Oval Office in early April, we discussed our concerns that rural Medicare providers need additional help, and we committed to addressing their problems. We agreed on the need to address issues faced by rural hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and physicians.
You demonstrated your commitment by passing your amendment last week with tremendous bipartisan support, and by pushing hard for it in the conference negotiations on the jobs and growth bill.
I will support the increased Medicare funding for rural providers contained in your amendment as part of a bill that implements our shared goal for Medicare reform.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush