Political Quotes

“The motion before us instructs conferees to reject division B of the House-passed Medicare bill. Division B in H.R. 1 allows for the creation of tax-favored health care savings accounts. The basic idea behind these accounts is to let people put their own money away for their future health care needs. They are completely portable and can be used for any health care expense such as prescription drugs or doctor visits. Let me explain to my colleagues why these accounts are so important for seniors and all other Americans. In January, most insured Americans will see an estimated 14 percent increase in their health insurance premiums. This is the fourth consecutive year of double digit increases. Currently, there are more than 43 million Americans without health insurance, an increase of 2.4 million in the last year. Health care costs are spiraling out of control throughout the United States. Seniors have the most pressing problem with health care costs because they have no further income opportunities after they retire; but make no mistake about it, all Americans are struggling with increasing health care costs. The future looks bleak. We have an aging population. The fastest growing segment in our country is people 80 and older.”