[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 49 (Thursday, March 27, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H2700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           MEDICARE ADVANTAGE

  (Mr. BARROW of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARROW of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shed some light 
on a very serious issue facing more than 15 million Medicare Advantage 
recipients across the country, including more than 300,000 seniors in 
my home State of Georgia.
  Medicare Advantage provides care and support to the constituents of 
every Member of this body. It reduces the need for hospitalization and 
reduces health care costs by focusing on prevention and disease 
management. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently 
proposed a 5.9 percent cut to this program which will reduce benefits 
and increase premiums by $35 to $75 per month for beneficiaries all 
across the country.
  This month, my colleague from the other side of the aisle, Dr. Bill 
Cassidy, and I led an effort with over 200 Members of this body to urge 
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to prevent these 
devastating cuts to this program.
  I urge this body and our friends in the Senate to do all we can to 
preserve this critical program. We simply cannot place the country's 
financial burdens on the back of seniors by undermining Medicare 
Advantage.

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