
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, October 3, 1995                   TAG: 9510030073
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                 LENGTH: Medium

MEDICARE BATTLES CONTINUE

House Democrats, charging that the Republican Medicare plan would pile unexpected costs on beneficiaries, stormed out of a Commerce Committee meeting Monday after Chairman Thomas J. Bliley, R-Richmond, repeatedly gaveled down their demands for a week of hearings on the proposal.

Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., who organized the walkout, accused Bliley of trying to ram through the bill before committee members had a chance to review its details. GOP leaders released the bill Friday and scheduled action for next week by the Commerce and Ways and Means committees before bringing the bill to the floor.

``The Democratic members of the committee see no reason to participate further in this charade, which will rob seniors of their health care,'' Dingell said.

Democrats are attempting to force delays in hopes that public opinion will turn against the GOP proposal. ``The bill is essentially an outrage,`` said Rep. Frank Pallone, R-N.J. ``Senior citizens are supposed to pay more to get less.''

GOP leaders say that their plan is crucial to salvaging the financially troubled Medicare hospital trust fund. But a new Washington Post-ABC survey found that the public disapproves of the Republican plan to change Medicare, 58 percent to 23 percent. By a larger margin, 67 percent to 30 percent, Americans say they are opposed to reducing the rate of Medicare spending, even if that means higher deficits.

If they could choose between a tax cut for all Americans or leaving Medicare services basically as they are, 69 percent of Americans would opt for leaving Medicare services alone. Nearly half of those interviewed agree with Republicans that Democrats are trying to frighten them with Medicare scare tactics.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kan., said Monday that the White House and congressional Democrats may have been effective in turning public opinion against the plan. ``My view is that if we do the right thing, that will bounce back,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., released details of a Senate Democratic alternative that would trim $89 billion over seven years without raising beneficiaries' premiums or other payments beyond what is scheduled in current law.

The Senate Democratic plan, roughly a third the size of the GOP House and Senate proposals, would achieve its savings by curbing payments to hospitals, nursing homes and home health care agencies by the Medicare hospital trust fund. It does not include increases in Medicare premiums and deductibles planned by Republicans or a means test requiring wealthy beneficiaries to pay more.

by CNB