United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator:
On behalf of the millions of members and supporters of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, I am writing to express our strong opposition to the fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget resolution because it assumes massive budget cuts from unspecified government programs. Such massive cuts, if implemented through reconciliation bills, could devastate many of the programs American seniors and their families depend on. The use of the reconciliation process would fast-track these potentially devastating cuts through Congress with simple majority support, and with little time or opportunity for the public to understand the impact of the cuts or to express their opposition to Congress.
In addition to the overall budget assumptions, we oppose the Budget Resolution because its reconciliation instruction to the Finance Committee would be used to repeal the previous administration’s rule to require minimal staffing standards at nursing homes.
As longevity becomes the norm for most Americans, and the number of older Americans enjoying long lives continues to rise, the nursing home sector is poised to either meet the challenge of providing world-class services to millions of Americans — or not. With total spending on long-term services and supports (LTSS) now topping $225 billion a year, using the budget resolution to roll back the nursing home staffing would harm millions of seniors and people with disabilities.
First, research has demonstrated beyond any credible doubt that understaffing is inefficient and wasteful, racking up billions in avoidable hospitalization costs. Second, understaffing contributes to unnecessary suffering, pain and premature mortality, with the result that a University of Pennsylvania analysis concluded that enforcing national staffing standards would save the lives of 13,000 residents per year.
This is why the National Committee stands in strong support of the regulation’s modest, prudently phased-in improvements, and we are pleased to see that the first phase of the final rule, featuring improvements in Facility Assessments, is proceeding with no difficulties.
Finally, the National Committee strongly opposes amendments to establish any “commission” that may be tasked with finding budget savings in Social Security and Medicare. We also note that slashing Medicaid will only result in cutting off access to health care for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. In our experience, fiscal commissions are intended as a vehicle for enacting deep cuts in critical programs that Congress has been reticent to identify publicly – since any reductions in benefits are strongly opposed by the voting public. Commissions have sometimes been structured to circumvent Congress’ regular order by creating fast-track procedures allowing enactment of significant changes in key programs before the American people have a chance to understand their impact.
The National Committee believes Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid can be improved and reformed in ways that meet the needs of current and future beneficiaries, and their financial solvency assured for future generations. We would be pleased to submit ideas to legislative committees with jurisdiction over Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and to participate in hearings and advise on development of potential policy. We have always recommended that elected members of Congress vote on consensus packages that are produced under the regular rules of the House and Senate, and not take orders from commissions that view the nation’s top social insurance programs in the context of a budget-cutting exercise.
In sum, we strongly urge you to oppose the FY 2025 budget resolution. It sets the stage for massive cuts to programs American seniors and their families depend on, and, through budget reconciliation, it would repeal the nursing home staffing standards rule. We also urge you to vote against any amendment that would create a commission that would avoid regular order and provide political cover to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Sincerely,
Max Richtman
President and CEO