[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 28, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H8882-H8883]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1230
                 HEALTH CARE REFORM FOR OLDER AMERICANS

  (Mr. MAFFEI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. MAFFEI. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I welcomed to the Capitol Dr. 
Sharon Brangman from my district, who was recently named the next 
president of the American Geriatrics Society. This morning she told me 
and other Members how physicians who work with the elderly are spending 
an overwhelming majority of their time providing primary care often 
without appropriate compensation through the current Medicare formulas. 
The extra year of training and additional expertise actually mean less 
pay, which is one of the reasons why we have an acute shortage of 
geriatricians in America.

[[Page H8883]]

  Mr. Speaker, baby boomers entering into the later stages of life will 
cause America's older population to double in the next few years. We 
must reform our health care system to adequately compensate doctors for 
providing preventative and coordinated care to patients in every stage 
of life. If we do it right, it will save money because many superfluous 
and harmful treatments will be eliminated and seniors will not only 
live longer but better lives.

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