Barton Opening Statement On Medicaid Reform, Digital TV Transition Bills
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, chairman of the House
Energy and Commerce Committee, made the following statement today as the full
committee began to mark up Medicaid reform legislation and the Digital
Television Transition Act of 2005:
"Over the next two days, the Committee on Energy and Commerce will make
important reforms in telecommunications and Medicaid.
"Tomorrow, we will mark up legislation effectively setting Thursday
January 1, 2009, as the day America goes all digital. The analog television
signals that have come into our homes over the air since the birth of TV will
end the night before, and a great technical revolution that has been in the
making for years will finally be complete.
"In June 2004, at my first DTV hearing since becoming chairman, I
announced that expediting the DTV transition would be a top priority. I also
noted that the 85-percent loophole in current law is delaying the consumer
benefits of digital television and preventing the clearing of broadcast spectrum
for critical public safety and wireless broadband uses.
"Since June 2004, we have held four more hearings on DTV, including one
in May of this year on a staff draft of the legislation. We have heard from
government, consumer groups, and many sectors of the communications industry. I
believe the legislation before us tomorrow strikes the right balance on the
concerns raised by those witnesses and the Members of this committee.
"The DTV legislation brings needed certainty to allow consumers,
broadcasters, cable and satellite operators, manufacturers, retailers, and
government to prepare for the end of the transition. It includes a strong
consumer education measure. And it helps ensure that all consumers have
continued access to broadcast programming, regardless of whether they use analog
or digital televisions, or whether they watch television signals broadcast by a
local station or subscribe to pay-TV.
"Enactment of this legislation by December would give us three years to
prepare for the transition. That is more than enough time for manufacturers and
retailers to move low-cost digital televisions and converter-boxes into the
market, for the FCC to complete the channel allocation process, for broadcasters
to finalize their digital facilities, and for government and industry to prepare
consumers for the transition.
"I look forward to the renaissance of television in America that this
important legislation will bring, and I urge my colleagues to support its
adoption.
"On Thursday, the committee will consider Title II, which deals with
Medicaid reforms, Katrina health relief and Katrina energy relief.
"Medicaid is a victim of its own success. The program has grown so
expansive that it is unsustainable in its current form. The nation's governors
understand the grim future of Medicaid without reform. They tell us that
Medicaid will begin to bankrupt the states unless some reasonable, common-sense
reforms are enacted. Our proposal contains these common-sense reforms and will
help fix some of the flaws in the current Medicaid program to ensure that it can
continue to be the safety net that protects our nation's most vulnerable
citizens.
"The reforms in this legislation include allowing states to charge basic
co-pays to higher income beneficiaries, reducing Medicaid overpayment for drugs,
providing states with the flexibility to tailor their benefit package to meet
the specific health care needs of beneficiaries, and making it more difficult
for wealthy seniors to shift or hide assets in order to qualify for Medicaid
coverage of nursing home services.
"Congress has tasked us in the budget resolution, to reduce the growth
of federal spending. However, these changes are the right thing to do,
irrespective of the budget implications.
"I recognize that some critics will argue that even the most modest
reforms will hurt the poor. I would submit to you that Medicaid in its current
form is already hurting the poor. Between 2002 and 2005, 38 states reduced
eligibility; and 34 states reduced benefits. This year, hundreds of thousands of
beneficiaries are losing Medicaid eligibility or facing reduced benefits because
of state action. This committee will not stand by and do nothing while Medicaid
slowly collapses. The reforms we are offering on Thursday will help to save the
program while at the same time protecting the poorest of our society. In fact,
most provisions in the legislation include additional protections for the most
vulnerable recipients, such as children, pregnant women, the disabled, the
mentally ill and those in hospice care.
"It is perplexing that so many who say they care the most, want to do
the least. If you want Medicaid patients to lose health care, the best thing to
do is nothing. However, this committee will have the opportunity to vote on a
package at the end of this markup that will be a major step toward ensuring the
neediest Americans can continue to have health care through Medicaid. I want
fairness and efficiency from Medicaid, and a vote for reform is a vote to save
it. A vote to keep what we have is a vote for waste and for bankruptcy. It is a
vote to cut health care for those who can't afford it, and certainly can't
afford to lose it. I encourage all members of the committee to look to the
future and support the reforms we have included in this package."
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