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Mike Mitka

JAMA. 2005;294:1752.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Following the displacement of large numbers of evacuees from New Orleans and other areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, Congress is reassessing a commitment to cut Medicaid funding to help offset proposed tax decreases.

In April, Congress agreed to decrease taxes by $106 billion for fiscal year 2006 and to offset the decrease, in part, by $35 billion in cuts to federal entitlement programs, including $10 billion for Medicaid funding over the next 5 years.

In a September 8 letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R, Iowa), Senators Gordon Smith (R, Ore), Jeff Bingaman (D, NM), and Blanche Lincoln (D, Ark) said it would be irresponsible for the Senate to limit entitlement program funding. "At a time when millions are displaced and seeking federal and state assistance, we believe it is inappropriate to move forward on that portion of a legislative package that would cut programs like . . . [Full Text of this Article]