[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 158 (Thursday, October 12, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMERICANS WANT THE WASTE CUT OUT OF MEDICARE

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, as we press ahead with the most important 
business before this Congress, strengthening Medicare, the American 
people need to understand just how much waste can be cut out of this 
program for senior citizens. Last Thursday I was home in my district 
for a series of town meetings with seniors to discuss the Medicare 
plan.
  At one of these meetings I had a constituent, Mrs. Hill of Ocala, 
stand to her feet to offer one example of the waste in the system. This 
is it, right here in my hand. It seems Medicare part B reimbursed 
beneficiaries no matter how small the cost, in this case 1 cent. What 
is Mrs. Hill going to do with the check for 1 cent? The time she spent 
opening the envelope was worth 1 cent. The postage alone to send this 
check is worth 32 cents, or 32 times its value. I bet the paper and ink 
used to print this check cost more than 1 cent.
  Mr. Speaker, conservative estimates put the amount of waste, fraud, 
and abuse in Medicare at $20 billion. With stories like Mrs. Hill's it 
is little surprise. Our seniors demand and deserve that we root out 
waste, fraud, and abuse for Medicare. They are right, and we should.

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