[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 154 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MEDICARE REFORM

                                 ______


                           HON. E de la GARZA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 29, 1995

  Mr. de la GARZA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about the 
subject of Medicare. It is a topic that has been in the headlines and 
on the news every day now for weeks. It is on the minds of almost every 
constituent I see. It is among the foremost issues we are addressing 
here in this body, and definitely, I think it would be safe to say, is 
the current major concern of seniors across America.
  The GOP has put out a plan to cut Medicare. Based on what is known or 
perhaps I should say not known in terms of legislative language being 
unavailable, this plan is one which it seems will have a devastating 
impact on the most vulnerable of Americans--senior citizens.
  In a letter I received from the Families USA Foundation it spoke 
about how seniors will lose guaranteed health protections that they 
have today. It spoke about how these individuals will lose out-of-
pocket health cost protections at the same time that pending proposals 
would double Medicare premiums. We're talking about out-of-pocket 
health costs which already consume more than one-fourth of seniors' 
incomes.
  What this says to me is that something is drastically wrong--that 
this is not the path to pursue.
  Allow me quote from a letter I received this week from a Texas 
senior:

       As a Senior Citizen and drawing Social Security, which I 
     earned, I would like to input my viewpoint on Medicare. I am 
     more fortunate than some of my widow friends in the amount 
     that I get each month, but with the price of living today it 
     is not very much. Out of this Social Security deducts $46.00 
     per month and believe me this covers very little, so in order 
     to pay for health care I am forced to take a supplemental 
     policy that costs me $65.00 per month. If Congress cuts any 
     part of this Medicare care it will force all of us to go on 
     the county medical care for the indigent. Can you imagine 
     what that would do to the whole country if all the people on 
     Medicare had to go that way. Most of us have worked hard all 
     our lives and paid our bills, but what the government has 
     done . . . is unforgivable . . . and NOW they want to put us 
     all on WELFARE.

  This is typical of what I am hearing. People are frightened. People 
are scared. And rightly so.
  My party is closely identified with Medicare. Democrats first 
conceived of Medicare and led the effort to enact the program into law. 
We have been its champions ever since. This program has been a success, 
helping to provide health care to millions of Americans who otherwise 
could not afford it. That is not bad as so many today would have us 
believe. It is good. If changes need to be made then our goal must be 
to work together to determine what it is we need to do that is positive 
and will continue to protect our Nation's seniors. That is what I am 
wholeheartedly committed to doing.

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