Happy Anniversary Medicare and Medicaid

Floor Speech

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 has 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.''

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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