[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 53 (Thursday, May 5, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
             THE ELIMINATION OF FRAUD AND ABUSE IN MEDICAID

                                 ______


                         HON. RICHARD H. BAKER

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 5, 1994

  Mr. BAKER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, there is a health care crisis in 
America, not only because there are 25 million Americans without health 
insurance, but because we, the U.S. Congress, have allowed fraud and 
abuse to infect the already overburdened and wasteful Medicaid system. 
Part of our health care problem is that the American taxpayers continue 
to pour billions of their hard earned dollar into programs designed to 
benefit the poor and needy that actually support a system that bleeds 
our wallets dry while providing minimal comfort to Medicaid patients at 
best.
  Today I will introduce a measures that takes the first step in 
cutting the fat from one of Medicaid's most wasteful programs by 
eliminating the nonemergency medical transportation service.
  The nonemergency medical transportation program is a nonessential 
program that provides federally subsidized transportation for Medicaid 
recipients to receive additional benefits. Such services include rides 
to and from a doctor's office for check-ups or to pick up prescription 
medicine. However, today these services somehow include rides to 
grocery stores, convenience stores, and shopping malls. What was once 
another generous Federal entitlement has essentially become a taxpayer 
funded taxi service that is laden with abuse. In fact, since 1975, 
Federal nonemergency medical transportation expenditures have escalated 
from $300 million to roughly $3 billion in 1991. In Louisiana alone, 
nonemergency medical transportation expenditures have risen from 
$800,000 in 1979 to $70 million in 1993--that reflects an average that 
is 3 times more than Federal expenditures on emergency transportation.
  I urge you to join my effort to eliminate Medicaid's nonemergency 
medical transportation service and remove State responsibility to 
maintain this program. My measure will not prohibit States from 
offering transportation service under their own maintenance; rather, it 
will remove all Federal participation and Federal spending, thus saving 
billions in health care dollars. In fact, the elimination of 
nonemergency medical transportation will mean more funding for real 
health care delivery to help community hospitals, provide subsidies for 
small businesses, create grants for facilities in undeserved areas, 
conduct medical research, as well as other much needed services.
  It is important that we continue to pay close attention to the 
smaller issues of health care reform like medical transportation, 
because of what might seem insignificant to Washington bureaucrats may 
prove to have larger consequences on actual health care delivery. 
Furthermore, if Congress passes any health care reform package that 
tolerates continued fraud and abuse, we will be back at the table in 
the very near future to fix yet another overgrown, out-of-control, 
ailing health care system. I urge you to cosponsor this important and 
symbolic legislation.

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