Byron Dorgan: “The Grace Commission has long since been discredited. I will not go into the recommendations, some of which were adopted…”

“The Grace Commission has long since been discredited. I will not go into the recommendations, some of which were adopted but many of which were absurd. That is a 20-year-old debate. Let's assume for the moment there was no increase in spending of any type. That would represent a huge problem for the poorest of the poor who get medical care from Medicaid. As you know, health care costs are rising dramatically, not having to do with much that is happening in this Chamber. Nonetheless, there is substantial increase in health care costs every year. If you said to the poorest of the poor, everybody else is going to get health care, but we are going to freeze health care funding for you, I am sorry, they would be in big trouble. We also have more people every month becoming eligible for Medicare. The fact is, we have a rising Medicare population. Every single month more and more people hit the Medicare rolls. With increased medical costs and more people being eligible, does Medicare cost more? Of course, it does. People are living longer, better lives. I have spoken at great length on the floor of the Senate about my Uncle Harold. My Uncle Harold is 84 years old now, and he is a runner. He has 43 Gold Medals. He is a 400-meter specialist in the Senior Olympics. My aunt thinks he is half goofy. He is always off running road races. He runs the 400-meter and runs faster than anybody his age.…”