[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 161 (Wednesday, October 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H10211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      GET TOUGH ON MEDICARE FRAUD

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, for those who would rip off the American 
taxpayer through Medicare fraud, the Republicans have an answer. The 
answer, through their pay more, get less plan, is an unusual solution: 
Let us get soft on fraud, unilaterally disarm law enforcement, and 
legalize conduct illegal today.
  Mr. Speaker, Medicare fraud results not from old folks pretending to 
be sick, but from health care providers pretending to treat them. In 
this plan, instead of helping law enforcement, the Republicans actually 
change the law to make it more difficult to prove fraud. They not only 
cut Medicare by $270 billion, they proceed to cut the moneys that are 
dedicated to law enforcement. But for those who rely on kickbacks from 
unnecessary care, they say, well, we will change the law to make it 
easier to take a kickback.
  Today, in the Washington Times, under an article entitled 
``Republican Medicare bill seems to favor fraud,'' they point out that 
this change alone will cost the American taxpayers $1.1 billion in this 
Republican profraud, antisenior Medicare bill.

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