Senior citizens sign petition opposing Medicare cuts
POWERS -- Congress must reach a decision on whether to cut Medicare costs again by December 23. The government is feeling more pressure than ever to cut the gigantic debt this country faces. One of the ways Congress is planning on doing this is slashing Medicare funding.
Senior citizens in Powers had something to say about that.
"We absolutely have to stop them from making anymore Medicaid and Medicare cuts. Otherwise the care is really going to be affected," said Gerald McCole.
The Coalition to Protect Senior Care is a nationwide group that opposes the cuts. Members of the organization at the Pinecrest Medical Care facility organized a petition today to try and sway the opinions of the politicians.
"When I see the cuts that they are proposing and they're trying to ram through, what it boils down to is insurance companies regulating Medicare and what have you," said Lily Schultz.
The fear of most of the people present was that what will be affected most is the amount of staff a care facility will be able to provide residents. They're concerned fewer nurses will mean a lower level of care.
The petition itself is over ten feet long; everyone in attendance signed, and from here, it will go straight to Congress.
"They should have left it alone. They've done it two or three times in my lifetime,” Schultz said.
The hope is that if Congress receives enough signatures, it might sway their vote not to cut Medicare.
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