Max Baucus: “it is all too easy for people in Washington to lose sight of what really matters. What really matters is how decisions…”

“it is all too easy for people in Washington to lose sight of what really matters. What really matters is how decisions made here in Washington actually affect average American families. The Medicare Program is a good example. As the future of Medicare is debated, we are going to hear a lot of fancy words, a lot of concepts thrown around by both sides. But let us not forget that premiums, deductibles, copayments, and managed care mean nothing in and of themselves. Let us not lose sight of the bottom line. The bottom line is how the Medicare Program helps people, average, hard-working, descent people in my home State of Montana and across the Nation. Are the proposed changes in Medicare going to actually help seniors live in dignity and security? Will they actually help average working families begin to plan for a secure retirement? Will they actually give these same families the peace of mind of knowing that they will not be forced to shoulder the costs of their parents' medical expenses? Not long ago I was going through my mail from home and I came across a letter that helped drive these points home. It came from Mrs. Ethel Ostheller in Libby, MT. Libby, you might know, is a small town in the northwest corner of our State. Mrs. Ostheller is 85 years old. She is widowed and lives off Social Security. She has had some serious health problems. She had a heart attack.…”