[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 19, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H6515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ANOTHER REPUBLICAN DISMANTLING OF MEDICARE

  (Mr. OLVER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, as Yogi Berra once said, it is deja vu all 
over again: another Republican dismantling of Medicare; a little 
smaller than before, but just as unnecessary, and still a bad policy. 
Doctors can charge thousands of dollars in bills that Medicare will not 
cover; hospitals are cutting even more than before, and these cuts, 
along with the Republicans' Medicaid cuts, will close many rural 
hospitals in districts all over this country. Seniors are still herded 
into managed care plans where they cannot choose their own doctor. That 
means less choice and continually rising premiums.
  Once again, Republicans demand that seniors pay more and more and get 
less and less. Once again, seniors will pay for the tax cuts for the 
well off. This plan was never intended to improve Medicare. As Speaker 
Gingrich has already said, this plan is intended to see Medicare wither 
on the vine. It is still a bad deal for America's seniors.

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