[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 157 (Wednesday, October 11, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1919-E1920]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       ALTERNATIVE MEDICARE BILL

                                 ______


                          HON. BRUCE F. VENTO

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 11, 1995

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I recently cosponsored H.R. 2422, the 
Medicare bill offered as an alternative to the Republican Medicare 
plan. I am cosponsoring the bill because I believe that it is important 
for Democrats to offer an alternative plan to the Republicans' massive, 
unnecessary, and unjustified cuts.
  H.R. 2422 cuts approximately $90 billion from Medicare over the next 
7 years instead 

[[Page E 1920]]
of $270 billion of cuts claimed by the Republicans. The trustees of the 
Medicare trust fund have stated that reducing Medicare by $90 billion 
would extend the solvency of the trust fund without the prospect of a 
shortfall and maintain as sufficient a balance as has upheld the 
Medicare trust fund for the past 30 years.
  Although H.R. 2422 is a significant step in the right direction, I 
do, however have concerns about some provisions which could 
significantly reduce provider reimbursement rates. Reducing these rates 
in States such as Minnesota where reimbursement rates are already low 
may have an unintended negative consequence. Still, we need 
alternatives to the Republican bill, and this measure serves as such an 
alternative.
  The Medicare payment disparity that persists today between States 
should be addressed. The changes being advanced by reduced payments 
tend to highlight this difference but are not the genesis of the 
problem. That is, the low reimbursement rates for select States that 
have achieved significant cost savings are locked into place and become 
compounded by the policy changes being advanced.

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