[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 DEMOCRATS PROPOSE TO EXPAND MEDICARE COVERAGE FOR PEOPLE AGED 62 TO 64

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, today in my home State of Connecticut there 
are over 30,000 people ages 55 to 64 who are uninsured; 1 in every 10 
individuals in this age group. That is simply unacceptable.
  Democrats have a plan to help vulnerable uninsured Americans between 
the ages of 55 and 64 obtain health coverage under the Medicare 
program. The Democratic proposal would make it possible for those who 
are near retirement age not to be wiped out by an illness because they 
do not have health coverage. The program would expand Medicare coverage 
for people ages 62 to 64, and displaced workers over 55 whose employers 
renege on their promise of retiree health benefits. The program is 
self-financed and would not cost the Medicare Trust Fund one dime.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues to stop sending us home 
and start scheduling action on important issues like Medicare 
expansion. This proposal would be a significant and an important step 
toward ensuring that those who are near retirement age would not be 
without health coverage if they had a serious illness.

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