[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 160 (Tuesday, October 17, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H10120]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                THE PROBLEM OF MEDICARE FRAUD AND ABUSE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to kick off a series of 5-minute 
special orders this evening to address the growing problem of Medicare 
fraud and abuse. It is shameful that Members of Congress have been 
virtually denied the opportunity to discuss the leadership's proposal 
to cut Medicare by $270 billion, and it is unprecedented its rollback 
of Medicare fraud law enforcement.
  The Republican plan would devastate Medicare to pay for a tax 
giveaway for the wealthy, but it also misses a golden opportunity to 
fix a major problem with Medicare. In fact, it actually makes this 
serious problem worse. The GOP plan actually will make it easier for 
Medicare cheats to get away with their health care scams. This plan 
rips off American taxpayers and American seniors.
  Many of us are genuinely concerned with strengthening the Medicare 
system, and we have urged a crackdown on Medicare fraud. I am happy 
that some of my colleagues have joined with me tonight to talk about 
this critical issue. I am proud to commend the gentleman from Michigan 
[Mr. Levin] for his commitment to combatting fraud and abuse in 
Medicare. The gentleman from Michigan plays a key role on the Committee 
on Ways and Means in the effort to toughen the punishments for fraud 
and strengthening our enforcement capabilities.
  I would like to recognize the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Durbin], 
an original cosponsor of my legislation, the Health Care Prosecution 
Act, to combat fraud and abuse in our health care system. The gentleman 
has been a leader in the fight to defeat the GOP's Medicare cuts and to 
restore integrity to the Medicare program for our elderly.

                              {time}  1800

  I also would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Frank 
Pallone, and the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Sherrod Brown, for joining us 
tonight. Their work on the Committee on Commerce to remedy fraud and 
abuse in the Medicare system has been invaluable.
  We are here tonight, Mr. Speaker, to let the American people know 
that the Republican bill does not, let me repeat, it does not toughen 
enforcement measures. It does not even defend the status quo. Far 
worse, the Republicans turn back the clock on Medicare fraud 
enforcement.
  Just today, Mr. Speaker, the Inspector General of Health and Human 
Services and the Justice Department that monitors, the policemen, if 
you will, the fraud that occurs in the health care system said that the 
Republican proposal would make it harder for the government to obtain 
convictions under an anti-kickback statute, and, in fact, would cripple 
the Justice Department's ability to crack down on health care fraud.
  The Congressional Budget Office estimates that stopping the growing 
problem of fraud could save as much as $80 billion. And despite this 
evidence, the GOP plan does nothing to crack down on waste, fraud and 
abuse. That is because the plan has nothing to do with fixing Medicare, 
it has everything to do with providing the Republicans' rich political 
supporters with a fat tax giveaway.

  Mr. Speaker, while I am sadly disappointed, I am not surprised, as 
the Washington Times, not exactly a liberal publication, reported last 
week Speaker Gingrich dismissed the necessity of cracking down on 
Medicare cheats by suggesting that we have insufficient jail space to 
lock up all the crooks in the system. The GOP shows no hesitation to 
crack down on the elderly, the sick, the disabled, the poor, and the 
young in their plan. But when it comes to targeting the real bad guys, 
the Republicans suddenly express concern about inadequate vacant 
correctional facility space.
  The congressional leadership is not interested in correcting and 
punishing the criminal elements in the Medicare system. However, I have 
introduced legislation in this Congress, the Health Care Prosecution 
Act, to do just that. My bill stops health care cheats in their tracks. 
It retrieves the financial losses in restitution and fines and it puts 
the criminals behind bars so that they are unable to pull off more 
health care scams in the future.
  Further, my legislation establishes a temporary health care fraud and 
abuse commission to study the nature and the extent of fraud in our 
system. This blue ribbon panel would make recommendations to Congress 
on innovative approaches to attack fraud.
  Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of good ideas out there about how to 
attack Medicare fraud, waste and abuse. I am sorry that my Republican 
colleagues have chosen to pursue none of that.
  Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to be joined by additional colleagues 
tonight who will also address this issue of Medicare fraud and abuse 
and the way that we might address it, and that it is not addressed in 
the Republican proposal.

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