They Voted For You: Medicare Override

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st; Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd; and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, all helped the House override President Bush's veto of the "Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008."

U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., later joined much of the Senate in following suit to the 383-41 House vote. Senators voted 70-26 to override.

The Associated Press reports on the overrides, which revive "legislation protecting doctors from a 10.6 percent cut in their reimbursement rates when treating Medicare patients."

"Lawmakers were under pressure from doctors and the elderly patients they serve to void the rate cut, which kicked in on July 1," the article said. "The president said he supported rescinding the pay cut, but he objected to the way lawmakers would finance the plan, largely by reducing spending on private health plans serving the elderly and disabled."

Nearly 368,900 West Virginians receive health care benefits through Medicare, about 20% of the population, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Nationally, 15% are on the program.