Officials testify on hospitals’ disaster plans

Testifying before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, two Bush administration Cabinet members acknowledged gaps in the capability of U.S. hospitals to deal with a mass-casualty terrorist attack or other disaster. They added, however, that a congressional effort to block pending Medicaid cuts will not fix the problem. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said lawmakers could instead target funds more directly, such as by financing the stockpiling of hospital beds, ventilator units or medicines, if needed.