Frank Pallone: “I also wanted to say, I know the gentleman mentioned Medicaid as well, and we talked about that a little, and the same…”

“I also wanted to say, I know the gentleman mentioned Medicaid as well, and we talked about that a little, and the same phenomena, particularly by reference to what it means for people other than seniors, their children and grandchildren. A part of the Republican leadership strategy from the beginning has been to also cut back on Medicaid, and the majority of the money in Medicaid right now pays for nursing home care. So, again, it primarily deals with taking care of the health care needs of the senior citizens. We fought a very hard battle, you and each of the four people and the others that spoke here this afternoon, in trying to make sure that Medicaid was not cut back and also that it was not block granted. If it was block granted and it was cut significantly, I think what you would have seen essentially is that the States, in taking on more responsibility and relaxation of Federal standards and Federal requirements, basically would have shifted more and more of the Medicaid burden, the nursing home burden, if you will, to children, to spouses, to grandchildren.”