Large Cuts Predicted for Medicare and Medicaid

The first item on the agenda for newly-nominated HHS Secretary Leavitt may be overseeing large cuts in Medicare and Medicaid.  According to the Associated Press,

"The Medicare and Medicaid programs, consuming nearly $500 billion a year and growing quickly, could be vulnerable in the context of last year's $413 billion budget deficit, the ongoing war in Iraq,  costly domestic security commitments and administration plans to revamp Social Security without raising taxes."