Susan Collins

You have been the member of Congress who has done more to shine a spotlight on this problem than anyone else.

Well, it seems to me this is a perfect example where consolidation makes sense.

We want to see some indictments and some extraditions and some prosecutions.

I would like to see them put the effort in this, in stopping these scams, that it puts into enticing Americans to come vacation in Jamaica.

But we have got to go after these people and we have got to put pressure on the Jamaican government to continually update its laws.

I can assure you that the Chairman and I are going to pursue this vigorously. This is just wrong.

I am concerned when you look at the dramatic increase in the number of complaints over the past few years, the estimate of $300 million, that our efforts, while they are well intentioned, are just not strong enough.

Just like Senator Collins said, they stop at nothing.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. That is typically gracious of you, and let me start by thanking you for holding this very important hearing.

If we saw prosecutions and tough sentences for some of the criminals in those cases, it would have an impact.

This committee has a great history of working together in a bipartisan fashion to bring to light the scams and swindles targeting our nation's senior citizens.

I think the fact that they haven't produced a change suggests that General Mattis is correct in saying that they're not working.

I would suggest--and maybe we'll get into this in the closed session--there needs to be much more transparency in order for us to make a judgment on whether or not doing such sweeping exemptions is wise policy.

I share your concern about the impact of sequestration on the Intelligence Community.

I believe to be the only bipartisan flexibility bill that would give, essentially, agencies the ability to set priorities.

NOAA is committed to 'doing everything we can to help them transition through these difficult times'.

Susan Collins is invited.

Is it over time just does have an erosive and corrosive effect on not only the payment rates, obviously, but in terms of access--potentially, access to care.

If we keep cutting providers' reimbursements under the same system and do not reform the delivery of health care, we eventually are going to affect access and that concerns me greatly.

I think this is a result of the recession and the result of cuts to providers.

I do not think we have seen a transformation. I see it very differently from my colleague from Massachusetts.

I am an original cosponsor of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Act that we will be reintroducing shortly that would require Medicare to provide coverage for community-based intervention that is offered through hospitals such as the YMCA to…

Medicare is a critically important program that provides essential health coverage for more than 50 million of our Nation's seniors and disabled citizens.

Medicare has made an invaluable contribution to the lives of more than 130 million older Americans and individuals with disabilities since its creation in 1965.

It seems to me we are not paying for the right things.