[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6298]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



        THE MEDICAID SAFETY NET HOSPITAL IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2001

  (Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, there are 42.6 million 
uninsured Americans. The critical care needs of this population, when 
met, is often provided by safety net hospitals. These institutions 
provide such care, often at a financial loss to the most needy among 
us.
  Today the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson) and I will 
introduce the Medicaid Safety Net Hospital Improvement Act of 2001. 
This bipartisan measure raises the floor for Federal Medicaid 
allotments to States for hospitals that serve the uninsured from 1 
percent to 3 percent, alleviating some of the growing burden of 
providing uncompensated care to many of our Nation's uninsured.
  The legislation provides a more level playing field by raising the 
amount of Federal funds to States that have been undercompensated and 
does not impact the Federal allotments to other States.
  As Congress considers policies for improving health care access to 
America's uninsured, we must not abandon the safety net already in 
place. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting these critical 
hospitals and the vulnerable populations who depend on them.

                          ____________________