Greg Ganske: “since 1965, when Medicare was enacted, virtually all senior citizens and most people with disabilities have been able to…”

“since 1965, when Medicare was enacted, virtually all senior citizens and most people with disabilities have been able to access mainstream medical care. Each working day, Medicare beneficiaries make almost 1 million physician visits. Medicare serves 39 million Americans, and deals with about 1 million health care providers: doctors, nurses, hospitals, nursing homes, and others. Since 1974 when, as a medical student, I first started seeing patients, and for the next 20 years as a physician prior to coming to Congress, I saw firsthand how important Medicare was to my patients. Medicare has been a very important part of our Nation's health care system, and I want to preserve and protect it. A couple of years ago, I served on the Bipartisan Medicare Commission: I resigned after I became concerned that my very active role in the bipartisan patient protection legislation would affect the chances of consensus being reached on the commission. However, based on my past experience actually working with Medicare patients, after culling from my work on the commission, and after listening and learning from testimony before the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, on which I sit, I have a few suggestions for improving Medicare's administration.”