Collins Pushes Legislation To Block Medicare Cuts

TOPSHAM (NEWS CENTER) -- Home health care benefits for the elderly could be cut from the Medicare program -- under a proposal by the Bush administration. And this week, Maine Senator Susan Collins introduced legislation to block those cuts. The president wants to cut 6-billion dollars from home health spending over the next five years.

As a result, home health care agencies would lose the funding that allows them to provide home care to seniors. The bush administration feels the cuts will help curb abuse of the benefit. But those who use home health care say it makes a big difference in their mental and physical health.

"Just I think the psychological healing. Just to be able to be in my own home and with my family and my friends has just been crucial in the repair process in the recovery," said Chris L'Abbe, a home health care recipient.

"Maine as you know is the oldest and fastest aging state in the union, so when you look at cuts to Medicare you're looking at a big population of people who might be at risk for access to all kinds of care," said Juliana L'Heureux of CHANS Home Health Care.

Senator Collins and other sponsors of the bill say keeping people at home and out of institutional care saves the Medicare program millions of dollars each year.