On June 24, 2008, the House of Representatives passed the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331) with 355 yes votes to 59 no votes and July 15, the House overrode the presidential veto by sustaining the two thirds majority with 383 supporting votes to 41 against. The Senate also voted overwhelmingly in support of the bill. 

The bill significantly enhances Medicare by improving and extending payments for rural Medicare providers, by helping more Medicare beneficiaries pay premiums and co-payments, and by improving preventative services to lower future costs. It also forestalls a nearly 11 percent cut in Medicare payments for doctors, which would have been effective July 15. 

The payment cut would have prevented millions of senior citizens and rural military families from receiving medical care. Doug Heckman, Democratic congressional candidate for Georgia’s 7th District and a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, supports the passage of H.R. 6331 to protect these seniors and military families from losing the care of their physicians. The military healthcare system is based on Medicare reimbursement rates, and the American Medical Association fears that fewer doctors would be willing to treat military families without the passage of this bill. 

Heckman said, “Once again, Congressman Linder has no problem funding our soldiers in war, but refuses to fund their needs when they return home. Add this to his vote against the recently passed GI Bill and I see a poor policy trend.” 

Not only did current District 7 Congressman John Linder (R-GA) vote against the initial passage of the Medicare Improvements Act, but Linder was one of only 41 opposing the bill during the override (source: United States House of Representatives Roll Call #491, July 15, 2008). In addition to protecting senior citizens, military families, and the doctors who care for them, the bill reduces federal payments to private Medicare Advantage plans from companies such as Humana, UnitedHealth and Blue Cross and Blue Shield. 

During Linder’s years in Congress, he has received over $259,000 in campaign contributions from the insurance companies who would not benefit from H.R. 6331 (www.opensecrets.org).