[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 123 (Thursday, October 5, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H8817]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ON THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF MEDICARE, CONGRESS SHOULD REPAIR GAPS IN 
                                COVERAGE

  (Mr. DEUTSCH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, this year we celebrate the 35th anniversary 
of Medicare. The program has benefited over 93 million Americans since 
it was signed into law on July 30, 1965, by President Johnson.
  Yet, our health care system has changed dramatically since then, with 
medical technology in many ways leading the way, and Medicare has not 
kept pace with that. I am concerned about the widening gap between the 
Medicare program and the cutting edge of medical technology.
  I am concerned because it means that more than 90,000 Medicare-aged 
people in my district cannot gain access to advanced treatment and 
technologies they need. As Congress looks at adjustments to the 
program, we must act now to repair the gaps in Medicare for the next 35 
years of medical innovation.
  Medicare's procedure for adding new technologies to the program 
involve coverage, coding, and payment decisions. Unfortunately, 
problems and delays have occurred at each of these stages. The result 
is that now it can take more than 4\1/2\ years or more to make the 
latest breakthrough treatments available to beneficiaries.
  I believe that Medicare patients have waited long enough for a 
program that gives them access to the advanced medical technologies 
they need. That is why I am pleased to lend full support of H.R. 4395, 
the Medicare Patient Access to Technology Act, a bipartisan bill which 
hopefully we will pass this session, and which will lead to 21st 
century medicine for Medicare beneficiaries.

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