[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11926]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



             RAISING ELIGIBILITY AGE OF MEDICARE RECIPIENTS

  (Mr. SANDERS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, this Nation already has the most unfair 
distribution of wealth and income in the entire industrialized world.
  Given that reality, it is absurd that some in Congress are talking 
about giving huge tax breaks to some of the wealthiest people in this 
country while at the same time they are talking about raising the 
eligibility age of Medicare to 67, charging a 10-percent copayment fee 
for home health care, and voucherizing Medicare, which would mean more 
out-of-pocket expenses for seniors in this country.
  Mr. Speaker, 111 members of Congress have written to the President. 
We have urged him, do not raise the eligibility age of Medicare to 67, 
do not charge a 10-percent copayment fee on home health care to some of 
the weakest and most vulnerable people in this country, and do not 
force seniors to pay more out-of-pocket for their health care costs.
  I urge all Members of this body to join us.




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