OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Appointment of Congress on H.Con.Res. 95, Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2006

Date: April 26, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Unemployed and Low-Income Entitlements and the Safety Net Health Insurance


APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON H. CON. RES. 95, CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006 -- (House of Representatives - April 26, 2005)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Madam Speaker, 44 Members on the Republican side defied their party, not because some deep-pocketed lobbyist asked them to, but because fighting for people in desperate need was and is the right thing to do.

Medicaid health and long-term coverage is already limited to the impoverished elderly in nursing homes, the lowest-income children, and other vulnerable populations. My friend, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle) expressed shock that Medicaid costs have actually grown. I think he must know that private insurance growth in this country is greater than 12 percent, Medicare costs are going up around 7 or 8 percent. Medicaid costs are going up only about 6 percent, half the pace of private insurance. There is no cost-effective alternative to Medicaid. Medicaid is the cost-effective alternative.

Medicaid cuts would not only jeopardize 5 million elderly Americans who would lack access to nursing home care without it, these cuts would place every nursing home resident, on Medicaid or not, in this country at risk. Each year nursing homes serve 2.5 million Americans. Medicaid covers 70 percent of these Americans.

The very health and safety of nursing home residents hinges on adequate Medicaid reimbursement. As it stands, Medicaid funding is insufficient to cover both those Americans who need nursing home services and those who need home and community-based care. If the Federal Government makes further cuts in Medicaid, we must take responsibility in abandoning people who have no where else to turn.

Two-thirds of people in nursing homes have no living spouse or relative. The fact is we, the Medicaid program, the Federal Government, are all the family who cares for them that they have.

I hope that before any Member of this body votes against this motion, you might just imagine trading places with an elderly American in a nursing home. Put yourself in their shoes; then decide whether starving Medicaid is responsible for reprehensible.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov

arrow_upward