December 18, 2007

Washington, DC— U.S. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada today commented on the passage of the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 that will strengthen health care for Nevadans.“This legislation will help ensure that our health care system can keep working for Nevadans who need it most -- including children, seniors, and people with disabilities,” said Reid.  “While I would have liked to do more on Medicare, this bill temporarily stops the scheduled 10 percent Medicare payment cut to Nevada doctors for treating Medicare patients. Instead, they will be provided a modest increase until Congress can revisit the issue next year. For seniors who depend on Medicare to get their rehabilitative care, the bill extends a special rule that lets them keep receiving the coverage they need. In addition, all seniors with Part D prescription drug coverage will benefit from the bill’s extra money for enrollment assistance.”

 Leveraging his position as Senate Majority Leader, Reid also negotiated several pieces important to Nevada’s children. The bill extends the Children's Health Insurance Program, also known as Nevada Check Up in our state, until March 2009 and provides enough money for other states’ children’s health insurance programs to continue. Reid also negotiated a six-month delay on damaging Bush Administration regulatory proposals that would have cut Medicaid funding for school-based services and rehabilitation services, upon which many vulnerable Nevada children depend. Another key provision in the bill reauthorizes the Special Diabetes Program to fund type 1 diabetes research and type 2 treatment and prevention programs for Native Americans and Alaska Natives, who bear the highest prevalence of diabetes in the United States. Reid will continue working to ensure that Nevada children, seniors and people with disabilities can receive and afford the quality health care they need.