Jim McDermott: “My colleagues want to give a radical voucher program--give a piece of paper to somebody and say, 'Go find an insurance…”

It is not what happens in Mr. Kind's district, where about 80 percent of the people have advance directives.

One of the largest holes in the Medicare system is that it does not currently cover most dental, vision, or hearing expenses.

At its core, Medicare is a fulfillment of a commitment to the health security of the American people.

This committee has the potential of doing more good for the American people than perhaps any other single subcommittee in the Congress.