From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Health care politics on a holiday weekend.

Hello again, I'm Mormon Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International, a daily look at the issues.

Americans care about most. There will be no vacation from political advertising this 4th of July as the battle over 10% cuts in Medicare reaches a fever pitch.

At stake are payments to 600,000 doctors who care for 52 million people, a big percent of the voting population in an election year.

On to the point, neither Republicans nor Democrats want the cuts to go through,

but the Senate failed to prevent them by just one vote.

That's pitted the doctors against the insurance industry in an advertising frenzy

designed to influence action next week.

We'll hear more today.

On reporter's notebook later on, celebrating the fourth, historically.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D.

and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Hello again,

Warren Olney, back with To the Point. Doctors and insurance companies will be exchanging angry TV

spots this holiday weekend. At stake are 10% cuts in Medicare payments that could affect 52 million

Americans. On To the Point, neither Republicans nor Democrats want the cuts to go through, can they be stopped next week?

What's the role of the Bush White House? Is it all about trying to privatize a popular public program?

On reporter's notebook, we'll hear about different ways of celebrating Independence Day, starting with George Washington.

First, this news update, for the first time in six years, Ingrid Betancourt today

embraced her children a day after her dramatic rescue from the revolutionary armed forces

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