[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 23]
[House]
[Page 30784]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 MEDICARE CUTS WOULD IMPACT OUR SENIORS

  (Mr. BOUSTANY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, this week debate continues in the Senate 
over a massive health care overhaul. What's at stake for seniors? Many 
seniors will probably see their benefits cut or higher premiums. The 
Senate bill cuts more than $135 billion from hospitals serving seniors. 
It cuts $40 billion from home health agencies, $15 billion from nursing 
homes, and nearly $8 billion from hospices--an all-important service 
our seniors depends on.
  Seniors deserve to know how Washington Democrats are going to pay for 
their massive new government-run bureaucracy because cuts like these 
will affect their care.
  As a heart surgeon, I know that we can do better. We need to work 
together to strengthen Medicare, putting it on sound footing to ensure 
that it will be there when seniors need help with their health care 
costs.
  We need to lower health care costs for seniors and all Americans by 
increasing competition in the insurance marketplace, promoting wellness 
programs, and limiting frivolous lawsuits in medicine. We can 
accomplish these commonsense solutions if we work together.
  Let's protect seniors. Let's protect Medicare.

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