[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 93 (Friday, June 27, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S6784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE BALANCED BUDGET ACT OF 1997 AND MEDICARE

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, with Wednesday's passage of the 
Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the Senate with some trepidation, has 
taken a number of courageous steps toward ensuring long-term solvency 
of the Medicare Program.
  Specifically, I believe that the adoption of means testing of 
Medicare premiums moves us in the right direction toward the long-term 
solvency of this critically important program. It is important to 
remember that this provision will affect only those seniors with 
individual annual incomes over $50,000 and married seniors with incomes 
above $75,000, on a sliding-scale basis. While some tried to portray 
this provision as a retreat from protecting our Nation's seniors, I 
view it as a step toward ensuring that our seniors will be well served 
for a long time to come. The adoption of this provision simply says 
that those Americans who can afford to contribute a little more for 
their health care should do so. Such a measure is surely needed if we 
are to sustain the safety net that Medicare provides to millions of 
senior citizens.
  While I supported that particular part of the bill, I must share my 
deep concern over other provisions that I feel go too far. I find 
particularly unacceptable the provision which will raise the age at 
which individuals are eligible to receive Medicare from 65 to 67. The 
likelihood of these seniors finding affordable private insurance is 
slim--many will be forced to forego coverage. At a time when the number 
of uninsured individuals in this country is growing and employer-
sponsored insurance is declining, I find it astonishing that some would 
choose to exacerbate the current problem further with this measure.
  I also opposed a provision that will require the poorest and sickest 
seniors to pay up to $700 a year in home health costs. One-quarter of 
the home health users are over 85; 43 percent have incomes below 
$10,000. Forcing the most vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries to bear 
this significant financial burden under the guise of addressing the 
long-term financial challenges of this program is indefensible.
  Because of these concerns, I was unable to support this bill. It is 
my sincere hope, however, that these issues will be resolved in 
conference and that ultimately we will pass into law a measure that 
truly will protect our Nation's seniors and the vital safety net that 
Medicare provides to them.

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