Proposed Health Care Reform Hurts Seniors

Floor Speech

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, we need to contain the cost of health care to make it more affordable for all Americans, but we cannot do this by cutting the services to our senior citizens. We have the responsibility to ensure that we don't harm the health care they currently have through Medicare. But the legislation supported by the White House, Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid doesn't protect that care.

Included in this health care plan is more than $162 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage. More than 25,700 residents of Arkansas' Third Congressional District are enrolled in this program, and I know the positive impact it makes in the lives of Arkansans and all American seniors. This is bad practice to cut from critical services like Medicare Advantage and something that I cannot support.

Rather than cut services, we need to examine how we can save money by getting rid of the waste and fraud in Medicare. Mr. Speaker, we can craft a bill that allows access to quality and affordable health care without sacrificing services to our seniors.

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