[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9303]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            REPUBLICAN PLAN TO END MEDICARE AND GUT MEDICAID

  (Mr. SIRES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, the more we learn about the true impact of 
the majority's plan to end Medicare and gut the Medicaid program, the 
more there is to dislike.
  For starters, under their plan, seniors will pay $6,000 more in 
annual out-of-pocket costs for health care services. Current seniors 
will see higher costs on prescription drugs as a result of reopening 
the donut hole, as well as a spike in the price of preventative care 
because free annual wellness visits will be eliminated.
  Individuals who are 54 years of age and younger, including 540,000 
people in my district, will be denied access to Medicare's guaranteed 
benefits.
  Additionally, the majority's budget slashes Medicaid funding by $800 
billion over 10 years and converts the program into block grants. 
Nearly 60 million Americans that rely on Medicaid for their health 
coverage will be in jeopardy of losing their health care.
  From my district in particular, their plan will impair the health 
care of 21,000 dual eligible seniors who rely on Medicaid to supplement 
their Medicare coverage, and 82,000 children who receive coverage under 
Medicaid.
  Mr. Speaker, given the current economic climate, now is not the time 
to be cutting valuable services to our most vulnerable citizens.

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