Health Care Providers Speak Out Against Medicare Cuts

DETROIT (WWJ) - Health care providers nationwide are calling on U.S. lawmakers to back away from any further cuts to the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

WWJ Newsradio 950's Pat Sweeting reported that last year lawmakers approved cutting millions of dollars from the programs over a 10-year period, and are now considering cutting millions more.

The Detroit Medical Center Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan's Dr. Bill Restum is adding his voice to that plea, saying cuts will have a potentially devastating effect on the health care industry.

Restum said the cuts would potentially impact both health care workers and patient care.

"If we sit back and tolerate the types of cuts, the impending disaster that is looking for Medicare and Medicaid, we're going to have problems employing some of our folks," said Restum.

"And we're gonna have difficulty covering the children that we treat over at Children's Hospital through our Medicaid program and equally important, all of the Medicare citizens that we treat over at the Detroit Medical Center," he said.

Restum said that, if they cuts go through, they may have to reevaluate the way they do things.

"Obviously, we're going to do everything we can to make sure that bedside care remains intact.  But if reimbursement for Medicaid and Medicare go the direction that it appears the super committee is looking at, we're going to have some monumental charges," Restum said.

Citizens are being urged to call on their lawmakers to oppose the cuts.