George Miller: “today, senior citizens can choose their doctor, their hospital, any kind of medical care they went under current…”

“today, senior citizens can choose their doctor, their hospital, any kind of medical care they went under current Medicare rules. Why are the Republicans offering more choice; why are the Republicans forcing more choice? Because the Golden Rule Insurance Co. gave $157,000 to GOPAC, the political arm of Speaker Gingrich, another $45,000 to Speaker Gingrich's two campaigns. They sponsored Speaker Gingrich's TV show, and they have given almost $2 million to Republican causes. That is why they want to force senior citizens into medical savings accounts. Mr. Speaker, I say to my colleagues, if you have money, you have access to the Republican plan for Medicare. The doctors met with Speaker Gingrich in the middle of the markup of the Medicare bill in the Committee on Ways and Means. They got $3 billion--$3 billion. Golden Rule gives money to campaigns; they got millions of dollars, hundreds of millions of dollars, in businesses. Senior citizens approached the chairman of the committee yesterday and asked about the future of Medicare. They were arrested. I say to my colleagues, if you have money, you can cut deals. If you need health care, you get arrested.”