[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 153 (Wednesday, October 21, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H11522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     MISREPRESENTATIONS ON MEDICARE

  (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ANDREWS. Well, it's been 126 days and the minority party's not 
given us their plan for health care. What they have given America's 
seniors is a lot of misrepresentations on Medicare. This bill does not 
cut Medicare benefits for seniors. It cuts corporate welfare for 
insurance companies. There is a program called Medicare Advantage, and 
it's an advantage for the insurance industry because it works like 
this: for every $100 that we spend on regular Medicare to take care of 
seniors, insurance companies get $114. They keep most of that $14, if 
not all of it, and do not use it to help seniors. We're getting rid of 
that and I think that makes sense.
  This bill will work in favor of seniors on Medicare because when you 
go to the doctor for preventive care if you're a senior on Medicare, no 
more copay, no more out of your pocket. Medicare pays it all. The cost 
of your prescription drugs will drop, and Medicare benefits will be 
strengthened. The life of the Medicare trust fund will be extended by 5 
years.
  So after 126 days, you'd think they'd come up with something, but 
what they've come up with is more misrepresentation.

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