Healthcare Organizations Send Letter Urging Congressional Super Committee Members to Use Their ''Conscience as Their Compass'' When Deliberating Debt Solutions

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, SEIU United Long Term Care Workers (ULTCW) and a group of partner organizations sent an open letter to the members of the Congressional Super Committee calling on Committee members to use their "conscience as their compass" when deliberating solutions to the national debt.

Of key concern to the group are potential cuts to Medicaid and Medicare funding and how such cuts would jeopardize the safety and health of our most vulnerable citizens while only adding to our nations unemployment rate.

"If these vital programs were cut in order to balance our national debt, countless lives would be placed at risk," said Laphonza Butler, President of SEIU ULTCW.  "Not only would the vital healthcare our seniors and people with disabilities rely on be devastated, but hundreds of thousands of good American jobs would be lost.  So I ask, how does cutting Medicaid or Medicare solve problems?  It doesn't – it only makes our nation's problems worse."

The letter points out that if Medicaid were cut by five percent an additional 250,000 American jobs would be eliminated.  If the program were cut by 15 percent, the number of lost jobs added to current unemployment figures would be 748,000. 

In addition to focusing on the impact cuts to these programs would have on increasing national unemployment, the letter also highlights the fact that Americans are living longer and that its our responsibility as a nation to provide them with the care they require.

While pointing out the various options being proposed by the Democratic and Republican parties, the letter calls for the Super Committee to "reach beyond the beltway, talk to real Americans and ensure that your legislative process is creating more jobs, not eliminating them."  It also states that "the confusion, political posturing and bickering surrounding healthcare and the budget is exhausting, infuriating, and above all else, a complete disgrace."

In closing, the letter calls on the Super Committee to say NO to Medicare and Medicaid cuts and YES to providing quality care, job creation and real innovation."

The Super Committee is expected to make its recommendations on November 23, 2011.

The full letter and list of signers may be viewed on the Huffington Post at: http://huff.to/sdorpf

Contact:  Wendy Carrillo (213) 321-7085

SOURCE SEIU United Long Term Care Workers