Editorial: Clinton vow may aid medical care

Tuesday, June 20, 2000 | 9:25 a.m.

Health care providers have argued that they're often shortchanged by the federal government when it comes to getting reimbursed for the medical care they provide for Medicare beneficiaries. Hospitals, home health care agencies and nursing homes have been hit hard. And HMOs, which provide insurance coverage for Medicare recipients, have pulled out of some markets because of the lower reimbursements.

It was heartening, then, to see the Clinton administration announce Monday it would ask Congress to increase these payments, offering $21 billion more over the next five years to pay Medicare health care providers. While bipartisan legislation has been introduced in Congress to boost Medicare funding, it's still uncertain if a deal can be struck. Partisan squabbles in this election year have hampered compromises on other health care issues, such as a patient's bill of rights. But Congress should not adjourn until it resolves Medicare funding, ensuring that health care providers have enough money to guarantee that the nation's seniors and disabled have adequate medical care.

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