[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 1485]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            CONTINUED ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR OUR SENIORS

  (Mr. CARSON of Indiana asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the Affordable Care Act 
delivered a $250 check to seniors in my district who were struggling to 
cover the gap between the cost of their prescription drugs and their 
Medicare coverage. In 2011, these same seniors benefited from an 
average savings of $648 on their medications.
  For my well-meaning Republican colleagues who say health reform is 
hurting Medicare beneficiaries, I ask them to imagine spending two and 
three times that amount on prescription drugs per month.
  For most seniors, $648 is a significant savings. And it is just the 
beginning. The Affordable Care Act will provide more efficient care by 
bundling Medicare services, investing in our health care workforce, and 
focusing on quality.
  Replacing Medicare with vouchers would erase the progress we have 
already made toward prescription drug coverage and lead to fewer 
choices for beneficiaries.
  I encourage my colleagues to work with me on solutions that guarantee 
continued access to health care for our seniors.

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