Christopher Shays: “My colleague, what we have been talking about is one of the many plans that are part of our Balanced Budget Act which…”

“My colleague, what we have been talking about is one of the many plans that are part of our Balanced Budget Act which the President vetoed. We have some major differences with the President on Medicaid and on Medicare. He has some differences on whether or not to have tax cuts and where. We do not yet see his plan, and we are waiting for his plan. But we have been very strongly criticized by some on the other side of the aisle that talk about a ``cut'' to Medicare. What we have talked about is the fact Medicare is going up from $4,800 per beneficiary to $7,200. We have talked about the fact there are no copayments, no deductions, the premium stays the same. We are going to have a higher premium for the wealthier. The most affluent will pay more on Medicare Part B, something the colleagues on the other side of the aisle advocated, but now criticize. We are slowing the growth to a significant increase of 7.2 percent. Only when you spend 7.2 percent more each year do some, and only in this city, do they call it a cut. Now we have talked about now a plan that has choice, yet you do not have to choose if you do not want. You can stay where you are.”