[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 78 (Thursday, May 11, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6471-S6472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE BUDGET AND MEDICARE

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I am very anxious that we proceed with the 
bill before us. In the meantime, I would like to just for a moment or 
two continue on our freshman focus on the idea of moving forward with 
these issues that are before the Senate and the House and that do need 
to be resolved soon, and to emphasize the opportunity that we have to 
solve them. Specifically, of course, to the budget and more 
specifically Medicare.
  We have talked about Medicare for a good deal of time over the past, 
but now we come to a time when there is no choice as to whether we have 
to make a decision or whether we do not. We have before us a report 
from the trustees, of course, which indicates that unless we do 
something the fund will be broke in probably 3 years. So it is not a 
matter of not doing something. It is a matter of what do we do.
  I am disappointed, I must say, that the administration has taken the 
position that we are just going to wait; we are just going to see what 
happens; we 
[[Page S6472]] tried last year; our plan was not acceptable; and 
therefore we are not going to do anything.
  That is not a strong leadership position. That is not a position that 
the administration should take. Nevertheless, the issue has to be dealt 
with. We propose to deal with it. The budget will suggest that in terms 
of part A the remedy might be found in the area of reducing growth--not 
cuts, not draconian cuts but, rather, reducing the growth from 10 
percent to 7 percent, 8 percent,
 and that we can do this by changing some of the processes.

  I think that this is the important thing that we have to talk about; 
that there ought to be some choices for seniors; that we ought to have 
some opportunities to use managed care; that there ought to be some 
incentives for people to find better ways of receiving services.
  But the idea that we can simply sit back and continue to do what it 
is--the suggestion was made yesterday, if we can do something with the 
budget, we simply ought to take more money and put it into the program 
without changing.
  Mr. President, that is not a useful solution. We have to find some 
ways to make the program work better. It seems to me that that is the 
great opportunity that we have had in this Congress for the first time 
in a number of years, to examine programs; not to do away with 
programs, but to find ways to deliver services more efficiently, to 
find ways, better ways, to deliver services to people who are eligible 
for those services. That is the challenge that we have.
  Mr. President, I yield to my colleague, the Senator from Tennessee.
  Mr. THOMPSON addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from 
Tennessee.

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