[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Page 11464]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  Mr. JOHANNS. Mr. President, I rise today to say at the outset how 
much I appreciate the very thoughtful advice that has been given by Dr. 
Barrasso during this debate. He comes to the floor, he is carefully 
prepared, he has done his homework, he has done the analysis, but most 
importantly as a doctor, he understands what the health care system is 
about. We would all benefit if we listened to his advice.
  The problems with this health care legislation just continue and 
continue. Each week this 2,000-plus page health care bill just produces 
more bad news, and it produces more unwelcome revelations. Not 
surprising.
  Not that long ago, the President, at every opportunity he had, would 
allay public concerns by saying to people and promising them: If you 
like your health insurance, you get to keep it. Those proponents wrote 
a provision into the new health care law in an attempt to fulfill this 
promise by grandfathering existing plans.
  Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a new 
regulation on these ``grandfathered'' health plans. Lo and behold, what 
did the new regulations show? It showed that 51 percent of American 
workers will be in plans without ``grandfathered'' status by 2013, in 
just 3 short years.
  In fact, under the worst case analysis, as many as four of five small 
business employees and 69 percent of all American workers will lose 
their current coverage. Almost 70 percent of those who were comforted 
by the President's promises are going to be sorely disappointed very 
quickly. You do not have to believe me. All you have to do is look at 
the Obama administration's own estimates. Yet instead of solving this 
problem and fulfilling the promise, the administration has a different 
approach: ramping up the public relations strategy.
  According to the Washington Post, the White House has hired ``a 
senior official whose sole portfolio will be to sell the health care 
overhaul to the public in the months leading up to the November 
elections.''
  The administration is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to sell 
the law to the American public. But let's look at reality versus what 
we are hearing. The Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that 
less than 12 percent of small businesses--less than 12 percent of small 
businesses--will benefit from the much touted small business tax 
credit. Yet the small business tax credit is one of the main talking 
points used to convince Americans that this law is actually good for 
them. In fact, the Internal Revenue Service recently sent out 4.4 
million postcards to let small businesses know they might be eligible 
for small business tax credits.
  The IRS spent $1 million in taxpayer dollars on those postcards 
alone. It does not stop there, though. The Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services recently mailed a brochure to senior citizens to 
``inform them'' about the new law. Well, who paid the bill for that? 
Taxpayers are footing the $18 million bill for marketing of a piece of 
legislation to themselves that they did not want in the first place. 
This classy brochure outlines provisions such as closing the doughnut 
hole and preventative health care services. However, there are some 
important details that are not in the brochure. CMS neglects to mention 
some very key information. For example, less than 10 percent of 
Medicare beneficiaries will actually receive the $250 rebate for 
entering the doughnut hole coverage gap. Yet the new health care law 
will cause all prescription drug Part D premiums to rise, according to 
the Congressional Budget Office.
  When our seniors heard the word ``reform,'' they never would have 
imagined it meant they all pay more while getting less than 10 percent 
benefit.
  Let me repeat that. Prescription drug premiums go up for all 
participants, and only 1 in 10 will see the $250 check. Over $\1/2\ 
billion in Medicare savings will be redirected toward creating a new 
entitlement program. The brochure also claims the new law preserves 
Medicare.
  Yet according to the Obama administration's own Medicare Actuary, 
Medicare Advantage enrollment will be cut in half. More than one in 
seven hospitals could become unprofitable as a result of the law 
``possibly jeopardizing access to care for Medicare beneficiaries.''
  Before I came over here, I had a meeting with those in the oncologist 
area who were saying: This is a problem. What are they going to have to 
do to solve it? They will have to pull in satellite facilities, and 
rural health care suffers. Rural beneficiaries feel the pain of this 
legislation.
  The New York Times recently published an article entitled ``White 
House and Allies Set Up to Build Up Health Law.'' The article stated:

       President Obama and his allies, concerned about the deep 
     skepticism over his landmark health care overhaul, are 
     orchestrating an elaborate campaign to sell the public on the 
     new law, including a new tax exempt group that will spend 
     millions on advertising to beat back attacks on the measure 
     and Democrats who voted for it.

  The article also highlights that many outside groups are now running 
campaigns to try to sell the bill to the public, in some cases with 
very direct help from the administration.
  With all this going on, with all of this in mind, it is appropriate 
to ask a few questions--for example, should not the administration be 
concerned more about implementing the law, especially considering they 
have missed several deadlines? Is this taxpayer-funded marketing effort 
crossing boundaries between policy and good politics? Why do we have to 
spend taxpayer dollars to win over the public if the merits of this law 
are so solid?
  People in Nebraska are not fooled by glossy brochures and media 
blitzes, especially when the facts are so clear. Facts are stubborn 
things. The administration's own regulation predicts many employees 
will not be able to keep their insurance plan. Their own Actuary 
confirms that Americans will still see health care costs rise because 
this new law does not bend the health care cost curve down. And the 
marketing campaign is not going to convince seniors that when they are 
losing services, they somehow benefit from this new law, especially 
since it makes it more difficult for them to access home health care 
services which have a bull's-eye for cuts, hospice services which have 
a bull's-eye for cuts, and home nursing services which have a bull's-
eye for cuts.
  We will continue to try to talk about what this health care bill 
really means to Americans.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Udall of Colorado). The clerk will call 
the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. I ask unanimous consent to speak in morning 
business on the Democratic time for about 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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