Jack Kingston: “there are four significant changes that are happening in our society that have to do with the field of medicine and the…”

“there are four significant changes that are happening in our society that have to do with the field of medicine and the reason that medicine right now is going to be a hotly debated subject in the coming months, in the coming years, in our society. I would say that those changes are philosophical changes, No. 1, in Washington, which I hate to use it but will, is a new paradigm, a new way of looking at things; No. 2, technological changes; No. 3, the possible bankruptcy of Medicare; No. 4, changes in the Medicaid delivery system. Let me start with No. 1, though, philosophical changes in Washington. We have some 80 new freshmen this year, all of whom I would describe as very regular folks who want to cut the budget and go home. They are not trying to be the next President. They are not trying to run for other offices. They just want to do the right thing. They are very attuned to the problems of middle-class America and businesses and employers, and they are just not as political as I would say classes have been in the past. I would say also that the reforms, the changes, are not attributable to the Republican Party alone. President Clinton, his election in 1992 did a lot to trigger the moves of reform and the debate for change in health care.”