[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 119 (Friday, July 21, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H7382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                STILL NO REPUBLICAN MEDICARE REFORM PLAN

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, if the gentleman is not cutting Medicare, 
why could he not get his plan out here? I learned yesterday that it 
will be at least another 2 months, until September 22, before we get 
the details of the Republican plan. They can put charts up. They had 
wavy graphs yesterday to try to confuse the American people. But the 
bottom line is that they are going to reach in the pockets of American 
seniors and they are going to pull out $1 for every $4 that would be 
paid under existing law with reference to Medicare.
  That means that the Republicans think our seniors are not having to 
pay enough for their health care at the present time, because the 
second part of their plan, as revealed not by them but by the 
newspapers this week, is that they think seniors should be discouraged 
from getting Medigap insurance; that they are not having to pay enough; 
that they do not have enough incentive to not make use of health care 
under existing law.
  Yes, they are MediScared. They are MediScared to tell the American 
people the truth about their changes, and that is why we are not 
getting the plan today. That is why we have to wait 2 months, because 
they are MediScared to tell the American seniors that it is their 
pocket that is going to be picked.


                          ____________________