[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 124 (Friday, July 28, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10872-S10873]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


            THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSAGE OF MEDICARE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I feel it is important to talk on the 30th 
anniversary of the passing of Medicare and especially after listening 
to some of the statements made by my friend, the senior Senator from 
the State of New Mexico while I was in the Chamber.
  It is important that we recognize Medicare is a program that is 
really working. It is a program that has separated us from other 
countries, made our senior citizens able to receive the care, medical 
care in general, that they need. Certainly there needs to be 
improvements made in the Medicare system, and we should make those. But 
I think the across-the-board cuts we have in the budget resolution that 
is now before this body are really out of line.
  Mr. President, just so we can understand, these cuts really do affect 
people. These cuts are not just farfetched, in the imagination of the 
Senator from Nevada. Republicans are proposing to cut more than $450 
billion from health care between 1996 and 2002, $270 billion of these 
dollars from Medicare and $182 billion from Medicaid. In combination, 
these cuts are more than four times anything ever enacted. Most of the 
$270 billion in Medicare cuts would not be necessary without the 
Republicans' $245 billion tax cut.
  Over a 7-year period, the combined Medicare and Medicaid cuts of the 
Republicans would reduce Federal health care dollars to Nevada by $2 
billion--the small State of Nevada by over $2 billion. Each of Nevada's 
182,000 Medicare beneficiaries would pay as much as $3,000 more in 
premiums and copayments. Couples would pay at least $6,000 more. 
Overall, the State of Nevada would lose $533 million in Medicare 
funding in 2002 and $2 billion over 7 years.
  In Medicaid, overall, the State of Nevada would lose $157 million in 
Federal Medicaid funding in 2002 and $516 million over the 7 years, a 
reduction of 29 percent in the year 2002 alone, and this is according 
to the Urban Institute. This will have a devastating impact on the 
State's current almost 100,000 recipients. According to this study, 
these cuts would mean that Nevada would have to cut off coverage to 
over 25,000 recipients, likely adding them to the ranks of the 
uninsured.
  Mr. President, we all heard the speeches early on. The distinguished 
majority leader before the election said:


[[Page S 10873]]

       President Clinton and Vice President Gore are resorting to 
     scare tactics falsely accusing Republicans of secret plans to 
     cut Medicare benefits. This was reported widely. I just 
     selected the Washington Post in November of last year.

  The Republican National Committee chairperson, Haley Barbour, said:

       The outrage, as far as I am concerned is the Democrats' big 
     lie campaign that the Contract With America would require 
     huge Medicare cuts. It would not.

  This was reported a number of places after Barbour made the speech, 
but I have chosen here CNN Late Edition, November 6, 1994.
  But what has happened after the election?

       The GOP plan: $270 billion in Medicare cuts--

  This does not count almost $200 billion more in Medicaid cuts--

     the largest Medicare cuts in history; seniors pay $900 more a 
     year in out-of-pocket health care costs.

  Those are the facts. We cannot escape it. To my friend from New 
Mexico, I say clearly, of course we have got to make some changes in 
Medicare. But we should do it with congressional hearings, like we do 
other things responsibly around here.
  I yield the floor.
  

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