[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[House]
[Pages 24962-24963]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   DEMOCRATS PLAN TO PAY FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM ON BACKS OF PATIENTS

  (Mr. GINGREY of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Madam Speaker, the Democrats plan to pay for 
health care reform on the backs of my patients, many of whom are now 
senior citizens. Our seniors have suffered tremendously since the 
recession began. Their 401(k)s are now 201(k)s.
  However, my Democratic colleagues don't think seniors have paid 
enough this year. Now they are asking our seniors to foot the bill for 
health insurance reform by cutting the Medicare program by $500 
billion.
  These cuts will result in seniors losing benefits under Medicare 
Advantage, programs such as vision, dental, hearing, and even annual 
checkups, Madam Speaker. These cuts will result in longer wait times 
and make it harder for senior patients to find a doctor that will see 
them at all. Worst of all,

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these cuts will ensure it will be harder to fix Medicare, which it 
surely will, in 7 years.
  Madam Speaker, my patients must not be used to foot the bill for 
health care reform.

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