Gerald Kleczka: “a lot of talk has been had today on Medicare. Let me make two quick points. No. 1, there is a solvency problem of Part…”

“a lot of talk has been had today on Medicare. Let me make two quick points. No. 1, there is a solvency problem of Part A, the hospital trust fund, and we are told to extend the solvency to the year 2006 it will take $90 billion. In about 10 minutes the Democrats on the Committee on Ways and Means will produce their bill to save the Medicare trust fund, but although it takes $90 billion to save the trust fund, the Republicans are cutting $270 billion. I ask, why are they cutting three times as much as necessary, and after they cut $270 billion, they resolve the trust fund to the year 2006 also? Because the balance is going for tax cuts. We had a committee meeting marking up the Medicare bill yesterday. There was an amendment to provide for mammography screening for women 65 and over. The amendment was defeated, with all Republicans voting against it, and the reason they say we could not provide this screening for women: We do not have the money. At the same time, the Speaker is sitting with the AMA giving them $3 billion in a payoff so they would come out and support the bill. Let us get real.”