[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 118 (Thursday, July 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H7264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                MEDICARE

  (Mr. LARGENT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LARGENT. Mr. Speaker, Medicare is not a Republican issue--it is 
not a Democrat issue--it is an American issue. Recently, a bipartisan 
group appointed by both Republican and Democrat administrations 
reported to the Congress that Medicare will go bankrupt within 7 years 
if we take no action.
  I believe we must prevent bankruptcy by simplifying and strengthening 
Medicare. We must simplify the system so that Medicare patients can 
more easily understand the program. In addition, we must strengthen 
Medicare to make it financially safe and secure for both current and 
future beneficiaries.
  We must work to ensure that senior Americans have the same rights to 
health care services as Members of Congress.
  In response to critics who are already claiming that this reform is a 
cut in the Medicare Program, I say this is simply not true. By enacting 
these modest reforms, Medicare will continue to increase--just at a 
slower rate.
  In fact, costs per beneficiary will continue to increase from $4,800 
per participant in 1995, to $6,400 per recipient in 2002. Now you tell 
me, how is this a cut?
  To play politics with this issue does not help in finding a solution 
to this problem. To do nothing is totally irresponsible, and 
unacceptable.

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