[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5490]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MEDICARE REFORM

  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, even though the third largest expenditure 
of the national budget is the interest on the national debt, there are 
still Members of Congress and the Senate and the administration who are 
debating the need to balance our budget. I think this is clearly 
irresponsible, particularly in view of what we want to do for the 
future of America, for the future of children, students, senior 
citizens and so forth.
  These same people are debating the need to change Medicare, even 
though the administration has told us that Medicare is going to be out 
of money and broke within 6 years. The Republican Party is trying to 
transform Medicare. If you want to help senior citizens, you need to 
save Medicare.
  We are working on insurance reform, trying to make insurance more 
affordable and more accessible. We are working on some Medicare options 
so that senior citizens can keep their choice of doctors, so senior 
citizens can join a health maintenance organization if they choose to, 
if they can get better care.
  We are trying to cut down on the fraud and abuse in the Medicare 
system which has driven up the price of it. The average cost payout has 
gone from $4,700 to $6,300. I hope that the Democrats will join the 
Republicans in trying to save Medicare rather than partisan 
grandstanding.

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