Tom Harkin: “I commend Chairman Baucus and Senator Daschle for their leadership and their determination on this important issue of…”

“I commend Chairman Baucus and Senator Daschle for their leadership and their determination on this important issue of the ever-deepening recession of the United States and the fact that so many people are out of work. They have consistently returned time and time again to make sure we commit to the real needs of the people in this country. But in our slowing economy, States are already facing a serious budget crunch, forcing some of our State leaders to make tough decisions. In fact, the recession would force Iowa to cut $18 million from its State Medicaid budget, funds that would have brought an additional $32 million in Federal money to our State. All of us, when we are talking about a stimulus, have to think about what is happening in the State budgets. I know the occupant of the chair is the former Governor of the distinguished State of Delaware and he knows, as well as others, that when recessions go up and unemployment goes up, the impact on the State budgets to meet their requirement for Medicaid increases dramatically. What happens is, as these rolls grow, then there is more of a demand on the State moneys. For example, there are already 240,000 Iowans on Medicaid, about 15 percent more than what the State expected to serve this year. The same providers who are facing the cuts will also be called upon to serve a growing number of people. When the providers are cut, the patients they serve feel it.”