[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 23, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H8107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            CUTS IN MEDICARE

  (Ms. McCARTHY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, Congress must act to ensure that the 
Medicare Program remains solvent for current beneficiaries as well as 
future generations. Cuts in the House leadership Medicare proposal 
would result in reductions to our seniors by decreasing services and 
increasing costs.
  The House leadership proposal includes provisions that would allow 
doctors to charge seniors more out-of-pocket costs and medical savings 
accounts which would further exacerbate the program's solvency. We must 
remain committed to ensuring that seniors have access to high quality, 
affordable health services. It is time for Congress to get serious 
about protecting Medicare. We should establish an independent 
bipartisan commission to analyze these issues and provide 
recommendations to Congress that would protect the long-term solvency 
of this program.
  Let us solve the Medicare problem by working in a bipartisan method 
to get the job done, not have it wither on the vine as the Speaker 
would have it.

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