Byron Dorgan: “the two most powerful words in the Senate are ``I object.'' The Senator from Oklahoma has demonstrated the power of that…”

“the two most powerful words in the Senate are ``I object.'' The Senator from Oklahoma has demonstrated the power of that by just objecting to the request by the Senator from Montana to bring up the Medicare provider reimbursement legislation. Some seem to believe there is no urgency about this issue. The Senator from Montana has described bipartisan legislation that I support very strongly and that I think it is urgent we pass. This is bipartisan legislation addressing an urgent, serious, and difficult problem. Let me describe it from the standpoints of two different types of health care providers. First of all, with respect to nursing homes, on October 1, long-term care facilities experienced a cliff, or a sharp drop, in their Medicare reimbursement. As of October 1, skilled nursing homes face a 10- percent, or $1.7 billion, reduction in their payment rates for the current fiscal year, and a 19-percent cut in 2004 unless Congress acts to respond to it. We can talk about numbers, this can all be about finances, but my colleagues know what it really is about. It is about the quality of care for people in our nursing homes.”