Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a resolution urging California’s federal Congressional delegates to support and preserve Medicare and Medicaid programs, as they work to cut the national debt by $1.5 trillion dollars over the next 10 years.

The resolution noted that by Nov. 23, a Congressional “super committee” must come up with a proposal to reduce the national debt by that amount, and urged California Congressional delegates to “reform and retain Medicare and Medicaid for the purposes of which these programs were originally created.” It said the county “stands in support of quality healthcare in our community,” and “we want to be sure our nation’s elected leaders protect the healthcare services Americans are counting on.”

The resolution said “millions of children, the elderly and people with disabilities rely on healthcare provided through the federally-funded” programs that were established in 1965.

A draft resolution was provided by Josephine Summers, union representative of the Service Employees International Union-United Health Workers, which represents Sutter Amador Hospital employees. Summers urged passage and support. The resolution was reworded before passage.

Supervisor Richard Forster suggested the resolution add a “line about not making local hospitals absorb the lack of funding for Medicare and Medi-Cal.” He said “anybody who shows up at the hospital and can’t pay for it, the hospital must absorb that cost.” Supervisor Louis Boitano said it also dictates what we pay for ambulance fees and transfers, and that “costs us more as consumers when we go to the hospital.”

Forster said Sutter Amador Hospital CEO Anne Platt can tell us whether we want to put the raw number in there.” Supervisors approved the resolution unanimously.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.