Michael Burgess: “My comments this evening are going to be directed toward the entitlement program known as Medicare. It does seem that…”

“My comments this evening are going to be directed toward the entitlement program known as Medicare. It does seem that the budget, before this evening, the budget we are debating, does lack a lot. It has a significant deficiency. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling) has already pointed out the lack of any real entitlement reform; but there is a missed opportunity in this budget which is disturbing. Yesterday in the Rules Committee, I offered an amendment which was not made in order. This amendment was relatively simple. It would have provided for reconciliation instructions, require the House Judiciary Committee to take up and report to the full House a bill that would reform our medical justice system, and limit the number of lawsuits of questionable merit in order to achieve an overall savings of $2 billion over 5 years. By capping noneconomic damages at $250,000 per provider, $500,000 per case for noneconomic damages, the CBO estimates that this amendment would save nearly $2 billion over 5 years, $4.5 billion over 10.”