[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 82 (Thursday, June 6, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1022-E1023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE SHAMELESSNESS SURROUNDING MEDICARE

                                 ______


                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 6, 1996

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, there does come a time when partisanship 
must be put away and the well-being of those we are sent to represent 
must prevail. Such an instance is the ongoing Medicare debate. 
Partisanship has no place in this debate, because the health care of 
our seniors and of future generations is at stake.
  On that note, I wanted to draw your attention to an editorial printed 
in one of my district's newspapers. In the editorial, some very 
disturbing figures and statistics are pointed out. These figures and 
what they mean are clear to everyone. When Medicare outlays are more 
than its revenue, the system needs to be changed.
  The editorial points to a veto by President Clinton of last year's 
balanced budget. This budget would have saved $226.7 billion in the 
Medicare Program through 2002, which would have preserved the entire 
Medicare Program until at least 2010. Clinton was faulted in the 
editorial as ``shamelessly play[ing] on the fears of senior citizens * 
* * to score political points against Republicans,'' and ``Clinton 
needs to stop feeding the fears of seniors for political gain and make 
substantive changes to this entitlement program.'' In a matter that is 
so critical to our seniors, we should expect more of the President. 
This partisan bickering must stop now and sound solutions to the 
Medicare Program must be developed. I would urge the President to join 
with the Congress to begin to solve the problems of Medicare.

               Stop Playing Politics and Fix Medicare Now

       Those in charge of the federal Medicare program say the 
     hospital fund will be nearly $29 billion in the red by 2001 
     if the system isn't changed.
       Medicare trustees also reported yesterday that Social 
     Security will go broke by 2029 if that program is not 
     adjusted.
       President Clinton insists that Republicans and Democrats 
     are not that far apart on numbers that would extend the life 
     of the Medicare system.
       He says bankruptcy could be avoided.
       We have heard that line before. The fact is, deep-seated 
     political differences virtually assure that a solution to 
     this pressing problem is not going to be reached before 
     November's presidential election.
       The statistics are sobering, if not downright frightening.
       By 2002, the hospital fund will owe $86 billion more than 
     it has, and by 2006, the red ink could grow to more than $400 
     billion, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates.
       Clinton last year vetoed the balanced budget bill passed by 
     Republicans, which was projected to save about $226.7 billion 
     in the Medicare program through 2002.
       Under the Republican plan, the program would move more 
     senior citizens away from expensive fee-for-service plans 
     into less expensive managed-care programs.
       The plan would also set up medical savings accounts that 
     would include a high-deductible catastrophic insurance 
     system.
       Congressional Democrats immediately accused Republicans of 
     trying to unfairly gut the coverage that senior citizens now 
     have under Medicare.
       Clinton shamelessly played on the fears of senior citizens 
     in this regard to score political points against Republicans 
     in the bitter federal budget battle this year.
       Medicare's hospital fund actually started spending more 
     last year than it took in through the payroll tax, but it had 
     a $134.3 billion surplus to dip into.
       Social Security's financial problems are not as acute yet 
     because the system still takes in more than it pays out.
       While Social Security has been getting the most attention, 
     it is the 30-year-old Medicare program that is clearly in the 
     most trouble.
       Medical costs for an ever-increasing aging population have 
     escalated at an alarming rate. They will continue to do so.
       The problem will be even greater in 2010 when the first of 
     76 million baby boomers turn 65.
       Spending will continue to exceed revenues, eating up the 
     surplus and running growing deficits by 2001 unless the 
     system is changed.
       This is a crisis that can no longer be mired in partisan 
     bickering.
       Clinton needs to stop feeding the fears of seniors for 
     political gain and make substantive changes to this 
     entitlement program.
       Seniors are simply going to have to learn to put up with 
     less doctor choice if the system is to survive.
       Republicans, meanwhile, need to make sure that those who 
     can pay for part of their benefits do so, instead of letting 
     the rich off the hook.
       The political risks in making any radical change are 
     daunting. But the numbers say they must be taken.

[[Page E1023]]



                         TRIBUTE TO FRED JAEGER

                                 ______


                             HON. DAVE CAMP

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 6, 1996

  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to 
honor an outstanding individual on his retirement from 28 years of 
outstanding service to the community of Morley, MI. Mr. Fred Jaeger has 
served the students for over 25 years as a teacher, athletic 
instructor, director, confidant, and friend to the many people whose 
lives he touched.
  During his career, he taught both math and science in both the high 
school and junior high school. He was a class sponsor for 9 years. He 
directed class plays for 3 years, timed football games for 18 years, 
announced at basketball games for 8 years, and performed in 13 country 
music shows.
  Fred has enjoyed quite a coaching career. He coached grade school 
boys basketball for 6 years, junior high school boys basketball 3 
years, junior high school girls basketball 8 years, and assisted boys 
track 5 years.
  Then Fred found his niche with the girls track team. In 18 years of 
coaching girls track, Fred's teams won seven league championships and 
four regional championships. Twice his girls finished third in the 
State in class C. In dual meet competition his teams won 118 meets, 
while losing only 31. He was twice named Coach of the Year by the 
Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association. In 1990, he began 
the Cross Country Program at Morley Stanwood and in 6 years, his girls 
have won two league championships. He was named regional Cross Country 
Coach of the Year in 1994.
  It is work such as Fred Jaeger's that inspires us all to achieve the 
best we can, and to promote these qualities in others. Mr. Speaker, I 
know you will join my colleagues and I in honoring the work of Mr. 
Jaeger and the legacy of service and commitment he has left for us all.

                          ____________________