Saving home care?

From a press release by Senator Mitch McConnell (R):

"In voting to cut a half trillion dollars from the Medicare program for seniors, our Democrat friends undercut not only the roughly 40 million seniors who depend on Medicare. They also undercut their own promises about reform." U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Saturday regarding the importance of getting it right on health care reform: “The U.S. health care system is in serious need of reform. Costs are too high, they’re rising, and if we do nothing they’ll continue to consume a larger and larger share of federal dollars and of the budgets of millions of middle class American families, of young workers trying to get their start in life, and of seniors.

“For months, the Administration and its allies in Congress promised a solution to these problems, a solution they said would lower costs and help the economy. They assured us that under their proposal anyone who likes the health care plans they have would be able to keep them. And they said their proposal would save Medicare.

“But, in the end, what matters isn’t what we say. It’s what we do. And this week, the proponents of this plan did more with a single vote than they did all year in talking about all the things that their health care plan would do. How? Because in voting to cut a half trillion dollars from the Medicare program for seniors, our Democrat friends undercut not only the roughly 40 million seniors who depend on Medicare. They also undercut their own promises about reform.

“As I said, the President and Congressional Democrats have noted again and again that under their measure those who like the plans they have will be able to keep them. After Thursday’s vote, even Democrats are admitting that’s no longer true. Here’s how one of our Democrat colleagues put it: “We’re not going to be able to say that ‘If you like what you have, you can keep it.” And then he added, “… and that basic commitment that a lot of us around here have made will be called into question.”

“As for the oft-repeated pledge to save Medicare, well, nobody buys that one after Democrats voted Thursday to cut it by half a trillion dollars. These Medicare cuts will impact the quality of care for millions of American seniors. Nearly 11 million seniors on Medicare Advantage will see a reduction in benefits. Hospice care will see massive cuts. Hospitals that treat Medicare patients will see massive cuts. Nursing homes are cut. And more than $40 billion is cut from home health agencies — agencies that provide an appealing alternative to seniors who would rather receive the care and attention they need in the comfort and privacy of their own homes.