John Sarbanes: “As I perceive it, all of these things that are being done--the HMOs, the medical accounts, the limitation on Medicare…”

“As I perceive it, all of these things that are being done--the HMOs, the medical accounts, the limitation on Medicare being able to act directly, and so forth--if this stack of papers on the desk represents the Medicare Program itself, they are circling around it to undermine and undercut it. This bill has taken on an added fundamental dimension. So as we look at this bill, we have to look at not only its shortcomings in adding prescription drugs to the Medicare Program, but we have to perceive that built into the bill are a number of efforts being put into place that will undercut the Medicare Program itself. Is that a reasonable view of the potential of this legislation?”