Sam Farr: “help. I've fallen and can't get up! This is the cry of a program--the Medicare program--in deep distress. This is the…”

“help. I've fallen and can't get up! This is the cry of a program--the Medicare program--in deep distress. This is the cry of America's elderly as they tremble at the prospect of losing access to doctors, hospitals and medicines as the Medicare program is held hostage to the Republican steamroller of deficit reduction. By the year 2002, the average senior citizen will pay $1,200 a year more in Medicare premiums. This is the cry of health care providers across the country as they struggle to meet the needs of their patients in the face of ever-restrictive government reimbursement policies. Under the proposed $270 billion cut to Medicare, hospitals will crumple--one hospital in my district will have to reduce its health care services by $5.6 million. That's just one hospital. Multiply that by the number of hospitals in your district. And what for? So rich people can wallow poolside in their second and third homes. What do we get? Tax breaks for the rich. Tough breaks for the little guy.”