Ann Marie Buerkle: “Thank you. Mr. Speaker, my colleague just brought up the cost of this health care bill. I think it's interesting to talk…”

“Thank you. Mr. Speaker, my colleague just brought up the cost of this health care bill. I think it's interesting to talk about and insert what I have heard from the health care community throughout the course of this discussion. For many hospitals which have a high level of indigent patients, there is what is called a disproportionate share of money that is paid to those hospitals to help them offset the cost of treating folks who are on Medicaid and who are not able to afford their own health care coverage. This health care bill removes the disproportionate share. It phases out that payment to hospitals so that they can afford to treat indigent patients who cannot afford health care. I think that's a very significant piece of this bill--of this law--that was not discussed nor how it will impact and how it will hurt hospitals. I think, beyond that, we need to talk about seniors and the choices that this health care bill takes away from seniors--again, that wasn't discussed--which are the Medicare Advantage programs and all of the disadvantages that this bill will cause to seniors. We need to keep our health care system intact so those who need the system, such as the seniors, have access to good health care and so their coverage is not hurt. This bill does hurt the senior coverage.”