Medicare Premium Fairness Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HERGER. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, we need to keep in mind the broader challenges facing Medicare. Medicare's trustees have expressed concerns about spending in part B, warning that legislation to avert cuts in physician payments, together with restrictions on premium increases, could ``jeopardize part B solvency and require unusual measures to avoid asset depletion.'' I am concerned that we are doing exactly what the trustees warned us against--placing the Medicare part B program at risk of bankruptcy.

Furthermore, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that H.R. 3200, the House Democrats' health care bill, would increase Medicare part B premiums by $25 billion. I find it ironic that the bill before us reduces premiums by about one-tenth the amount that H.R. 3200 would increase seniors' Medicare premiums.

I am also especially concerned that the majority Democrats are attempting to shut down the debate on how their health care bill would affect seniors enrolled in the Medicare Advantage program. The CBO has confirmed that the $156 billion in Medicare Advantage cuts contained in H.R. 3200 could, indeed, force plans to limit benefits, including premium relief. Yet CMS has issued a gag order prohibiting Medicare Advantage plans from informing their customers of this fact.

At the same time, CMS has apparently taken no action against the sponsor of the largest Medicare Advantage plan, AARP, whose Web site urges seniors to contact their Members of Congress in support of the Democrats' health care bill, which would slash Medicare by more than $500 billion.

Mr. Speaker, why the double standard? It appears that people are free to express their opinions on health care as long as those opinions are in line with the majority party's.

So, while the House Democrats claim to be helping seniors, the reality is that they're trying to cobble together 218 votes to pass a $25 billion part B premium increase through the House, and the Obama administration is abusing its regulatory powers to keep that fact from seniors. Mr. Speaker, that is wrong.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield).

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. I want to thank Chairman PALLONE for yielding me this time, and I really thank him for his leadership on our committee.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill. Holding down the cost of Medicare premiums means so much to millions of Americans. We cannot ever lose sight of the plight of our senior citizens, who are struggling to make ends meet.

I want to thank the various chairmen who have decided to move decisively on this measure this week. I would only hope that our Republican friends would work with us on this one. Let's not use this issue as a weapon in the health care reform debate. This is a separate issue. Not only does it affect my district, but it affects all of our districts. In my State of North Carolina, 1.392 million North Carolinians have Medicare, and they need this legislation this week.

I ask my colleagues to join with me in voting for the Medicare Premium Fairness Act.

Mr. HERGER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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