President Vetoes Medicare Package;
Congress Overturns Within Hours

July 17, 2008

A Medicare Package that contained several important provisions for pulmonary patients finally passed through Congress in mid-July after overcoming several hurdles.

On July 15, President Bush vetoed the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. Then within hours Congress overturned that veto by a vote of 383-41 in the House and 70-14 in the Senate.

Passage of the bill ensures the creation of a clear Medicare pulmonary rehabilitation benefit; an 18-month delay in the durable medical equipment (DME) competitive bid program; and the repeal of a law that requires beneficiaries to own their oxygen equipment after 36 months of continuous rental.

You may want to write to your members of Congress in the House and Senate to thank them for passage of this bill. You can do it easily from the AARC’s Capitol Connection system.