James M. Jeffords: “this bill is a landmark piece of legislation the most significant modernization of the Medicare Program since its…”

“this bill is a landmark piece of legislation the most significant modernization of the Medicare Program since its inception in 1965. Its passage by the Senate is a major accomplishment on the path toward enacting a prescription drug benefit for our Nation's seniors. It is the result of years of bipartisan, I might even say tripartisan, effort and it puts in place many long-sought changes. It has many significant features for the citizens of my home State of Vermont. It provides a sustainable, universal, and comprehensive prescription drug benefit. It guarantees access to traditional Medicare for all beneficiaries. It allows Medicare beneficiaries to participate, if they choose, in new systems of care that better reflect today's dynamic health care environment. The bill recognizes the high cost of providing quality care in rural settings and closes the reimbursement gap between rural providers and their urban counterparts. Finally, it contains a provision that will allow us to better understand how to provide quality health care--not care driven by using more and more resources, but instead one based on ensuring quality patient outcomes. Over the past 2 weeks, I have applauded the work of my colleagues who have labored over this bill. Today, I have the pleasure of congratulating them on their success and thanking them for their efforts.”