[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 109 (Tuesday, August 9, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                E X T E N S I O N   O F   R E M A R K S


                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

                                 ______


                            HON. RON PACKARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 9, 1994

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, as Congress rounds the final turn on the 
health care reform roller coaster, the liberal leadership is 
responsible for the scariest part of the ride with the creation of the 
largest entitlement program this country has ever seen--Medicare part 
C.
  With costs estimated to run as high as $332 billion a year, this new 
entitlement program will take the Federal spending train to supersonic 
speeds. And if the accuracy of the CBO estimate for Medicare part C is 
anything like the accuracy of their estimate for the other parts of 
Medicare, we could be in for a heck of a ride.
  In 1965 CBO projected hospital care to cost $9 billion in 1990; the 
actual figure was $67 billion. They were off by 750 percent. If they 
make the same mistake with Medicare part C we can look forward to 
spending more than $2\1/2\ trillion.
  This program is about giving the Federal Government the power to 
control the way health care is obtained and medicine is practiced in 
this country. With more than half this country's population expected to 
enroll, the private sector will be driven out of the system, taking 
with it competition, choice, and the most important element of our 
health care system--quality.
  Judging from the way the Federal Government handles our mail, our 
taxes and our immigration laws, I certainly don't want them to be 
responsible for our health care.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stop the health care roller 
coaster and ride the responsible road to reform. Give the American 
people the kinds of reforms they need, not another enormous entitlement 
program.

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