By Maggie Fox, Reuters Health and Science Editor

Health experts denounced President George W. Bush’s 2009 federal budget request on Monday, calling it a disaster for the health of Americans and saying they would look to Congress to change it. Bush’s $3.1 trillion spending plan proposes a 7 percent cut in funds for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as less money for Medicare and Medicaid — the joint federal-state health insurance programs for the poor and elderly.

The budget for the fiscal year starting October 1, 2009 would reduce spending on Medicare by $12.8 billion and lower federal funds for Medicaid by $18.2 billion over five years. The National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration would receive more funds, but critics said the increases were too small to counteract rising costs. (Original Article)

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