Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2012

Floor Speech

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Ms. McCOLLUM. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, contrary to what Republicans have said on the floor, the Republican budget will impose new cuts on today's seniors.

The Republican plan repeals the Affordable Care Act, which strengthens Medicare and reduces costs. For seniors on Medicare today, the Republican plan brings back the doughnut hole, forcing seniors to pay more for their prescription drugs. It repeals seniors' free annual checkups and gets rid of reforms to better manage their chronic conditions. The Republican plan eliminates Medicare altogether and, instead, hands seniors vouchers and kicks them into the black hole of health insurance.

All Americans, pay attention. If you're 54 and younger, you've been put on notice. Start saving now. In addition to saving for your retirement, you'll need to save for the new out-of-pocket expenses your health care will incur.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates seniors will be forced to pay an additional $6,000 a year on health care--that's $12,000 for a couple--which is the best case scenario seniors can expect. The plan in front of us tonight begins to double out-of-pocket spending for seniors, and it's only going to increase from there.

When you dig a little deeper, you realize that more than half of the Medicare beneficiaries today have five or more chronic conditions. What awful choices will seniors be forced to make when their health care costs are greater than their vouchers? Will they be able to afford their diabetes care? Will they be able to afford to go to their doctors for colonoscopies or mammographies?

It seems to me that the only seniors who will benefit from the Republican proposal will be senior insurance executives.

Vote "no'' on the Republican plan. Vote "no'' in order to protect and save Medicare.

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