boutons_
03-03-2006, 06:48 PM
Five States Sue Government Over Medicare
By LIZ AUSTIN
The Associated Press
Friday, March 3, 2006; 5:05 PM
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas and four other states sued the federal government Friday, alleging they are being forced to help fund the new Medicare prescription drug program in violation of the Constitution.
In the lawsuit filed in the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott argued that states should not have to relinquish taxpayer dollars to pay for a program offered by the federal government.
"The federal government has placed what amounts to a direct tax upon Texas and other states in violation of the U.S. Constitution," Abbott said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately return a call seeking comment Friday.
The attorneys general of Kentucky, Maine, Missouri and New Jersey joined Abbott in the lawsuit. Ten other states filed friend-of-the-court briefs supporting the case.
Since Jan. 1, states have been required to send the federal government monthly payments to help cover the cost of the Medicare prescription drug program.
Texas stands to lose about $100 million from 2006 to 2009, Abbott said, contending the new system "will have some states like Texas wallowing in red ink for several years."
In Kentucky, Attorney General Greg Stumbo estimated that the state will be saddled with payments to the federal government totaling more than $360 million over the next five years, for a net loss approaching $20 million.
Rather than helping seniors, the program is "failing our most vulnerable elderly and disabled citizens and it's failing the taxpayers of Kentucky," Stumbo said.
A 2003 law added a prescription benefit to Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the elderly and disabled. It went into effect Jan. 1 for those who signed up early and for millions who previously were covered by state Medicaid programs.
© 2006 The Associated Press
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The Repug fuckups, without ANY successes, continue.
Even red-state/Repug TX is fighting the Repug Feds.
When dubya/dickhead get finsihed with their 8 years of fuckups, their reign will be seen as among the worst ever inflicted on the USA (unless you are super rich or corps)
By LIZ AUSTIN
The Associated Press
Friday, March 3, 2006; 5:05 PM
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas and four other states sued the federal government Friday, alleging they are being forced to help fund the new Medicare prescription drug program in violation of the Constitution.
In the lawsuit filed in the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott argued that states should not have to relinquish taxpayer dollars to pay for a program offered by the federal government.
"The federal government has placed what amounts to a direct tax upon Texas and other states in violation of the U.S. Constitution," Abbott said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately return a call seeking comment Friday.
The attorneys general of Kentucky, Maine, Missouri and New Jersey joined Abbott in the lawsuit. Ten other states filed friend-of-the-court briefs supporting the case.
Since Jan. 1, states have been required to send the federal government monthly payments to help cover the cost of the Medicare prescription drug program.
Texas stands to lose about $100 million from 2006 to 2009, Abbott said, contending the new system "will have some states like Texas wallowing in red ink for several years."
In Kentucky, Attorney General Greg Stumbo estimated that the state will be saddled with payments to the federal government totaling more than $360 million over the next five years, for a net loss approaching $20 million.
Rather than helping seniors, the program is "failing our most vulnerable elderly and disabled citizens and it's failing the taxpayers of Kentucky," Stumbo said.
A 2003 law added a prescription benefit to Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the elderly and disabled. It went into effect Jan. 1 for those who signed up early and for millions who previously were covered by state Medicaid programs.
© 2006 The Associated Press
==================================
The Repug fuckups, without ANY successes, continue.
Even red-state/Repug TX is fighting the Repug Feds.
When dubya/dickhead get finsihed with their 8 years of fuckups, their reign will be seen as among the worst ever inflicted on the USA (unless you are super rich or corps)