David Thomas: “Mr. Chairman, if Members will examine the proponents of the substitute's argument, what they are saying is that we…”

“Mr. Chairman, if Members will examine the proponents of the substitute's argument, what they are saying is that we really do want Medicare select, we just want to improve it, we want to help. That would be akin to having you cross the street against the light. Urge you to go down a tunnel with a light ahead and say it is daylight. Turn on the gas with the pilot light out. They do not want to improve the Medicare program. Their position is clear. They stalled in the last Congress, hoping it would die. It took a Herculean effort at the 11th hour to get the pilot program renewed. And here they are once again, a wolf in sheep's clothing saying all we want to do is try to improve the program. The substitute says it is going to extend for only 5 years. The underlying bill says if after 5 years on a finding of the Secretary of HHS it saves money, we make it permanent. If it is good and it works, we make it permanent. What does the substitute do? Notwithstanding saving money after 5 years, the program is dead. That is improving? That is helping? That is a wolf in sheep's clothing. All they say they want is a level playing field. In fact, what they are trying to do is set up hurdles specific to Medicare select.”