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Dueling ads pressure Congress on Medicare

By HOPE YEN

Published: Jul 01, 2008

Two powerful health trade groups will begin airing dueling ads this week in their fight over Medicare, hoping to influence Congress as lawmakers face pressure to reverse scheduled cuts in doctor fees.

America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade group of private insurers, is siding with Senate Republicans and the White House in their standoff with Democrats over a measure that would halt the cuts by trimming payments to private insurers. The ads, which will run on national cable television through the weekend, say reducing payments to UnitedHealth Group Inc. and other private insurers through a program called Medicare Advantage could push millions of seniors out of their current coverage.

"Millions more will have to pay higher out-of-pocket costs for health care and lose important benefits they depend on," the ads say.

On the other side, the American Medical Association said Tuesday it was airing new television and radio ads in six states through the week that targets a group of senators who blocked action on the proposed legislation. The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate last week amid a veto threat by President Bush. More

Jul 01, 2008

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