[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 123 (Thursday, July 27, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H7806]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    MEDICARE AND MEDICAID IN FLORIDA

  (Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address the 
House today about a very serious problem that will occur in my native 
State, the State of Florida. I am a fifth generation Floridian, and I 
dearly love my State, but they are confronted with a problem dealing 
with Medicare.
  If the current bill that is proposed is passed, it will be a $1 
billion cut over the next 5 years that will hit my constituents and all 
senior citizens in Florida. In my congressional district alone, they 
will be hit over $50 million.
  To compound that, if Medicaid is block granted, we will have a 
catastrophic fiscal problem in Florida. Medicaid block grant will not 
even equal inflation. If does not even come close to the increase in 
growth that this State experiences, between 8 and 12 percent.
  I call upon my 13 Republican colleagues from Florida to reconsider 
their position dealing with Medicare and Medicaid, not for political 
reasons but for the reason that I think they are devoted to this State 
as well as I.

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