[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 207 (Friday, December 22, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H15579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        MEDIGAP PREMIUMS TO RISE

  (Mr. KLINK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KLINK. Mr. Speaker, as one of my colleagues on the Democratic 
side mentioned a few moments ago, it is odd that all this discussion 
about a balanced budget is occurring when in fact the deficit will 
begin to go up for the first time in 3 years.
  With no Republican votes, we voted back in 1993 to lower the deficit 
3 consecutive years. Democrats have taken proactive action, but the 
Republicans want to play the game. Those of you who ever watched the 
Popeye cartoons, there was a character called Wimpy who said, ``I will 
gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.'' The Republicans say we 
will gladly balance the budget in 2002 if you give us credit in 1995. 
They say they are not cutting Medicare. We say they are.
  Who is right? the marketplace says we are right, because the 
insurance companies have set big increases on Medigap premiums, 30 
percent, because they will not be covering it. More elderly people will 
be going into the program, less money will be there, and Medigap 
insurance rates across this Nation for senior citizens are going up 30 
percent. The marketplace knows who is right, and it is not the 
Republican majority.

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