[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 71 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 8, 2000

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4577) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
     Service, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2001, and for other purposes,

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Chairman, reducing fraud and abuse in Medicare has 
been identified by the Majority Leader as a major initiative. The 
Budget Committee has a Medicare Fraud Task Force to look into ways to 
reduce Medicare fraud. The Ways and Means and Commerce Committee has 
held hearings on reducing Medicare fraud.
  And yet, this bill would actually reduce already appropriated funds 
for fighting fraud and abuse in Medicare by $50 million. These funds 
were appropriated in advance when the Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted in 1996 and intended to fight 
Medicare fraud. This program has returned $17 for every dollar invested 
in it. Because of our fraud-fighting efforts, we have experienced the 
lowest growth in Medicare spending ever.
  Obviously, the Appropriations Committee disagrees with the Majority 
Leader and other Committee Chairmen who want to reduce Medicare fraud. 
Instead, the Committee would reduce our anti-fraud efforts. Evidently, 
the Committee feels that there is not enough fraud in Medicare, so we 
should let it grow.
  Second, Mr. Chairman, the General Accounting Office and others have 
issued numerous reports recently about the alarming abuses and poor 
quality of care of senior citizens in nursing homes--the care of our 
mothers and fathers and our constituents. GAO said that one in four 
nursing homes actually harm our senior citizens or place them in danger 
of being harmed. The GAO recommended stronger enforcement of quality 
standards.
  In Northern California, only 6 percent of nursing homes were found by 
State inspectors to be in full or substantial compliance with 
requirements.
  The President proposed additional funding to support a Nursing Home 
Initiative for enforcing nursing home standards more strictly.
  Yet this bill would eliminate the funding for this Nursing Home 
Initiative.
  Obviously, the Appropriations Committee simply does not care what 
happens to our senior citizens in nursing homes.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the DeLauro amendment 
to restore funds for fighting Medicare fraud and for the Nursing Home 
Initiative.
  Mr. Chairman, I submit into the Record a letter sent to me by the 
National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform.

                                      National Citizens' Coalition


                                      for Nursing Home Reform,

                                     Washington, DC, June 1, 2000.
     Hon. Fortney ``Pete'' Stark,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Stark: The National Citizens' Coalition 
     for Nursing Home Reform (NCCNHR) urges you to vote no on the 
     Labor/HHS/Education bill because it fails to provide funding 
     for the Nursing Home Initiative.
       The Nursing Home Initiative was established to increase 
     funding for improvement in nursing home quality nationwide. 
     As part of the Nursing Home Initiative, new survey protocols 
     were put in place such as improved federal oversight over 
     state survey efforts, staggered inspections, and expedited 
     investigation of resident complaints.
       For FY 2001, the Administration proposed a major funding 
     increase that would invest $70.1 million in improving 
     oversight of nursing homes. It would include (1) training 
     surveyors in effective inspection of nursing homes; (2) 
     surveying nursing homes during evenings and weekends; and (3) 
     surveying substandard facilities more frequently than other 
     facilities. However, in Subcommittee, the discretionary 
     funding was virtually eliminated for the Initiative.
       By passing an appropriations bill without funding for the 
     Nursing Home Initiative, the House would be ignoring 
     overwhelming evidence of harm to residents that is occurring 
     because of lack of adequate enforcement. The 1998 GAO report 
     on California nursing homes showed that one in three 
     facilities has violations that cause either actual harm to 
     residents or place them at risk for serious injury or death. 
     This report launched the Nursing Home Initiative to address 
     the poor care in nursing homes. We cannot abandon these 
     efforts, which are now beginning to have an effect. 
     Otherwise, we are abandoning the most vulnerable and frail 
     population in this country who need protection from a 
     strengthened enforcement system.
           Sincerely,
                                              Sarah Greene Burger,
                                               Executive Director.

     

                          ____________________