[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12676-12677]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MEDICARE AND MEDICAID

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 30, 2013

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, on the 48th anniversary of Medicare and 
Medicaid, I rise to voice my strong support for these national 
treasures and to share with my colleagues the voices of older Americans 
from around the nation who rely on them.
  Before 1965, nearly half of all seniors were uninsured. If they 
became sick or injured, they were forced to use their savings, rely on 
their family, or go without needed medical care. Today, Medicare serves 
over 50 million seniors and persons with disabilities, providing them 
with the guaranteed benefits that they have earned over their working 
lives.
  Medicare is literally a life-saver. It can be improved--and we did so 
in Obamacare by lowering drug costs, eliminating cost-sharing for 
preventive services like colonoscopies and cancer screenings, and 
coordinating care to improve quality.
  Unfortunately, there are some who want to change Medicare not by 
making it better, but by shifting costs to those who cannot afford it. 
Some of those proposals involve increased premiums, deductibles and new 
cost-sharing requirements for home health services. Others--like those 
in the Republican-passed budget resolution--would radically change 
Medicare's very structure by turning it into a voucher program and 
leaving seniors and people with disabilities to bear dramatically 
higher costs.
  I urge my colleagues to consider the critical importance of Medicare 
and to join me in opposing proposals that would add to the financial 
burden of seniors and persons with disabilities who are already 
struggling. Here are some of the voices of those who need Medicare's 
guaranteed benefits.
  Michelle Adams, from Fallston Maryland, has been on Medicare for the 
past 13 years because she is disabled. If she didn't have Medicare, she 
says, ``I would be in bad shape without my prescription and possibly 
homeless because I wouldn't be able to afford both my medication and 
rent.''
  Madeline Levine from Evergreen, Illinois was diagnosed with breast 
cancer shortly after she became eligible for Medicare. ``Without 
Medicare, I could not have afforded my treatment,'' she says. ``This 
gives me a peace of mind that I have protection.''

[[Page 12677]]

  Juandra Drumgold from Dorchester, Massachusetts, depends on her 
family for a roof over her head and to pay for basic necessities. She 
says that not being able to work at such an elderly age and having to 
maintain her health care can be quite costly. If she did not have 
Medicare, she says, she would have to cut her living expenses even 
more, making a choice between medication and food.
  B. Peter Brandt-Sorheim from Mt. Morris, New York, saw his medical 
expenses drop by nearly two-thirds once he became eligible for Medicare 
last year. Before, he had to pay about $1,625 for a three-month supply 
of medication, he currently pays $135. If it weren't for Medicare, he 
says, ``I would be walking on the edge, crossing my fingers, and 
praying that someone would donate my Insulin medication to me.''
  Toni Rosenberg of Boca Raton, Florida relies on Medicare for services 
related to high-blood pressure, lymphedema, and kidney disease. She 
says, ``If it was not for Medicare, I would be dead. If my Medicare 
benefits were cut or became more expensive, I would have to stop 
eating. By being single, Medicare has provided me with a safety net. 
Medicare is not an entitlement--it is something that we've paid into 
and should have when we 65. Medicare has provided me with not having to 
choose between eating healthy foods or being able to get my 
prescriptions. I do not have to worry about my health because I know I 
have coverage to take care of me. I am a voice for the people who 
cannot speak for themselves, please keep your hands off Medicare. My 
parents and family all fought to have Medicare in our golden years so 
that my children and grandchildren will have what I have to keep them 
going in their senior years.''
  Harlan Lang from La Plata, Maryland, has been on Medicare for twelve 
years. He says, ``If I did not have Medicare coverage, the quality of 
my life would change terribly, because if I was in a crisis, I would 
not be able to make it without the coverage. I believe so strongly in 
Medicare, it is so important to me. I cannot afford to be without the 
coverage. Healthcare is so expensive; I wish it was even better.''
  Rosie Woods lives in Richmond Virginia. ``I have been enrolled in 
Medicare for twenty years. Medicare has helped me to save on my 
prescriptions,'' she says. ``My health issues for which I am receiving 
treatment covered through Medicare is for cholesterol and I had a 
stroke in 2012. If I did not have Medicare my quality of life would 
change because I would have to go on the soup line. If my Medicare 
benefits were cut or if I was charged more, I would have to give up a 
whole lot. It would be a lot of stress that I would have to go through. 
Taking care of my home will be hard with the expenses. We work very 
hard for them to take money out of our checks expecting the benefits to 
be there when we retire.''
  Barbara Bonfield of Birmingham, Alabama has been enrolled in Medicare 
for eleven years. She says, ``Medicare has helped me on most of my 
expenses. My husband died of a heart attack at the age of 64. At the 
age of 65, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I am a survivor, 
Medicare was my primary insurer. Medicare has kept me well and it is a 
vital part of my community; without Medicare coverage I probably would 
not be alive today, it has kept me alive. If my Medicare benefits were 
cut or if I was charged more, I would be spending a lot of money to 
obtain my health care. I would have to re-adjust to everything (travel, 
food etc.). The last thing that I would have to reduce is my 
medications. I am very aware of the rising cost of medical care in this 
country and it is good to know that the Affordable Care Act will reduce 
the medical cost.
  Cynthia Ochs Saur from Melbourne, Florida says, ``I reside in Florida 
and have been enrolled in Medicare for four years. I have had two 
wellness exams for breast cancer and a lot of health issues which were 
treated thanks to Medicare. If I did not have Medicare coverage my 
quality of life would change quite a bit. If my Medicare benefits were 
cut or if I were charged more, I would have to give up other 
necessities in order to pay for the help for my medical problems. I 
would not be able to survive in many ways and would suffer greatly.''
  Bruce Russell, Sr. is from Missoula, Montana and has been enrolled in 
Medicare for five years. He says, ``Two weeks ago I was operated on for 
a growth on my neck, had a colonoscopy test done and one growth was 
removed--neither one was cancerous. If I did not have Medicare coverage 
I would die young. My sister had severe arthritis and shingles, she put 
up with the pain for three years until she was enrolled in Medicare. 
People who retire on fixed incomes without medical insurance face 
serious quality of life issues daily when they do not have the benefits 
of Medicare which they worked for.''

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