Political Quotes

“on the prescription drug program that we are about to vote on this week, I am not an expert on health care or prescriptions; but I have observed over the years what happens when government takes over some of these programs. The big change of course was when we amended the Social Security bill in 1965 to add Medicare. We estimated at that time that the cost of Medicare by 1990 would be $9 billion. It was $70 billion projected 2003 to be $26 billion, but the actual cost today is $265 billion. This bill we are estimating at $400 billion. I suggest that is a very low estimate, and the second 10 years is the greater challenge because of retirements. To seniors, the danger is they are going to start out with choice on whether seniors keep their current Medicare and other insurance; but eventually as government goes broke and needs the money, there is the tendency to force everybody in the program to moderate the cost of the program. Industry is promoting this system because eventually they are going to reduce their prescription drug coverage to the retirees that they are now paying for. After that comes rationing. I think there are a lot of disadvantages for seniors in this bill, Mr. Speaker.”