Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, throughout the health care reform debate, I focused on four tenets. We needed to improve affordability, access, quality and choice. I said when the bill passed that it did not fulfill those requirements. It gives me no pleasure to show you where the actuary report for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services agrees with me. Affordability. ``By 2011 and 2012, the initial $5 billion in Federal funding for high risk pools will be exhausted, resulting in substantial premium increases to sustain the program.'' Access. The report projected that Medicare cuts would drive about 15 percent of hospitals and other institutional providers into the red, ``possibly jeopardizing access'' to care for seniors. Quality. Some 18 million uninsured are estimated to go on Medicaid for their primary coverage, which will fail to provide meaningful access. And finally, Choice. ``We estimate that in 2017, when the provisions will be fully phased in, enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans will be lower by about 50 percent.'' If you chose Medicare Advantage, half of you will be out of luck. ____________________”