[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 12, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H437]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                MEDICARE

  (Mr. COURTNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday the Congressional Budget 
Office came out with their new budget projections and analysis of last 
year. What it showed was that the Medicare program grew at the slowest 
rate since 1965 when the program was created.
  As this chart shows, the cost growth for Medicare is coming down. As 
a result of that, there are $200 billion in new savings that we didn't 
know about the day before.
  This is the smart way to balance our budget, by providing incentives 
for preventive care for more efficiency in the system, not butchering 
Medicare by turning it into a private health insurance program or 
raising the age of eligibility.
  We can build on its success. We can stop sequestration by having a 
smart, focused health care policy which saves money for the American 
taxpayer, but protects America's seniors and people on disability.

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