[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 172 (Monday, November 30, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H8436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       EMBRACE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

  (Mr. PAULSEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, medical technology makes a huge difference 
for millions of Americans by giving them access to life-improving and 
lifesaving technologies, devices, and treatments. With new 
developments, we should be encouraging the use of these innovations to 
achieve better outcomes and lower long-term health costs.
  However, the agency that oversees Medicare has continuously made 
decisions that threaten the use of this technology. As Yogi Berra once 
said, ``It's deja vu all over again.''
  First, the agency proposed rules that would limit access to critical 
speech-generating devices. Then, it was patients that use lower limb 
prosthetics that could see reduced access.
  Recently, we have seen proposed rules now that would limit access to 
pneumatic compression pumps for those managing a condition called 
lymphedema and those using individually configured Complex Rehab.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress has been forced to take action in some of these 
instances, like when we passed the Steve Gleason Act earlier this year. 
But the series of proposed rules are now alarming, in that they will 
raise long-term health costs and result in worse outcomes.
  We need to look at a new path forward when it comes to embracing and 
protecting access to medical technology.

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