Today at Talk Radio News

Talk Radio News Service will cover a discussion on Asian economics and a news conference held by the League of United Latin American Citizens. Chief U.N. Correspondent Dan Patterson will listen to Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict who will discuss her recent trip to Afghanistan.

The Washington Bureau will also participate in a Senator John McCain presidential campaign conference call which will discuss Senator Barack Obama's economic plan and a conference call to discuss the Democrats' plans to hold Obama's presidential nomination acceptance speech at INVESCO Field at Mile High in Denver. In addition, the Washington Bureau will cover a conference call on support for Medicare improvements for the Patients and Providers Act as well as a conference call on the false attacks on Senator Obama's energy plan.

GOP Pen and pad

House Republican leaders Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Rep. Adam Putnum (R-Fla.) briefed reporters this afternoon at their weekly pen and pad briefing. Paramount to their discussion was the high cost of fuel which has dominated discussion on Capital Hill for the past few weeks.

Both Blunt and Putnam pointed to Rep. Gene Green (D-Tex.) as an example of Democrats not doing anything on high energy costs. Green today had said on the House floor “we need answers and not just slogans.” Blunt has told his members of the Republican Caucus that they should “talk about the issue of energy until they are blue in the face.”

Referring to the recent Medicare vote which passed the House, Blunt said “the Democrats did a great job where you had an active group of doctors and pharmacists.” But Blunt added that President Bush still has pull on Capital Hill. “I think on matters such as FISA and national security he still has got some pool,” said Blunt. Blunt, however, added that it is the threat of a presidential veto that has the strongest pull.

On the Supreme Courts decision today to overturn Washington D.C.’s hand gun ban the Minority Leader told reporters that there currently are no plans to do anything federally. Blunt added that he and Putnam would welcome any hearings on the issue of guns but joked “I doubt they’ll do that,” said Putnam.

Medicare putting seniors at risk; leaving them vulnerable/

This morning there was a full committee hearing on Medicare improvements titled "Seniors at Risk: Improving Medicare for Our Most Vulnerable," focusing on Medicare Part D's Low Income Subsidy. Ranking Member Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) and others were on hand to hear testimony.

After a brief introduction of the Medicare program and part D's low income subsidy, testimony was heard from multiple people including representatives from the AARP, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, and SHIBA, The Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance.

Perhaps the most interesting testimony came from Judy Korynasz, a beneficiary witness and caregiver for her mother whom does not qualify for low income subsidy due to personal assets. Mrs. Korynasz has medicare along with her husband, in addition to her mother Charlotte Wachdorf, as noted above. Mrs. Wachdorf has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic anemia, and many other illnesses. She has to take many medications, use a walker, and is restricted to using oxygen. Unfortunately, paying for this health care uses a significant amount of her money, even with the help of Medicare. Due to the confusing wording of the program, some seniors are being confused as to which program is the best for them. In the meantime, seniors are paying outrageous costs for health care, which is a clear indication that the program needs to strengthen. Though the program has helped some, it could help more.

Today at Talk Radio News Service

The Washington Bureau will cover an Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on "Accountability Lapses in Multiple Funds for Iraq," a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Hearing on "Retail Price of Gas and Competition in the Oil Industry," and a subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee on "The Border Security Challenge: Recent Developments and Legislative Proposals." A correspondent will also cover a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on "Seniors at Risk: Improving Medicare for Our Most Vulnerable." Later, the Washington Bureau will cover a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and House Financial Services Committee joint hearing on how the mortgage crisis afflicts neighborhoods, as well as a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on how to provide legal assistance to low-income Americans.

Pentagon Correspondent Meredith MacKenzie will attend a pen and pad briefing with the Senate Leadership, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), as well as a press conference with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Correspondent Dawn Jones will cover a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nominations of Gen. David Petraeus "for reappointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the United States Central Command," and Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno "for appointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the Multi-National Force-Iraq."

Another Warning for Medicare?

The American enterprise Institute (AEI) held a conference today discussing the future of Medicare. The speakers present were Robert L. Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, Richard S. Foster, chief actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS), Robert B. Helms, resident scholar in health policy studies at AEI and Gail Wilensky, senior fellow at Project HOPE, which is an international health organization.

The panel discussed the importance of letting the Congress aware of the Medicare social security and urging them to act upon it. The panel also touched upon the disagreements of Democrats and Republicans upon the previously mentioned social security. They suggested a bipartisan solution to this problem, and that it will only be solved when both parties arrange a single conference discussing and planning the future of Medicare, by using more competitive elements.

Another important issue, which was brought up by Gail Wilensky, was the retirement age
of the population. As the average death age has increased, 65 is too early to retire and all benefits that the Medicare brings is more costly. Thus a new retirement age should be discussed in order to solve this problem.

Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid occupy a 42 per cent ($1.3 trillion) of the Federal budget, whereas 58 per cent ($1.6 trillion) is spent on other Federal issues