House Proceeding 09-24-09 on Sep 24th, 2009 :: 0:33:55 to 0:38:10
Total video length: 55 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

Note: MetaVid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Views:61 Duration: 0:04:15 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

0:33:51 to 0:34:14( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: i ask my colleagues to join with me in voting for the medicare premium fairness act. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back balance of his time. the gentleman from california. mr. herger: mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california reserves his time. the gentleman from new jersey. mr. pallone: mr. speaker, i now yield the remaining time to mr. stark and ask that he control that time. the speaker pro tempore: without

0:33:55 to 0:38:10( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Fortney Pete Stark

0:34:15 to 0:34:36( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: objection. the gentleman from california will control the time. mr. stark: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. today we have a bill before us

0:34:37 to 0:35:00( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: that will basically protect the social security checks from dropping in 2010 as a result of what could beall a quirk in the relationship between our medicare part b premiums and the social security checks. some seniors will still be feeling the effects of the recession in 2010, and this bill

0:35:01 to 0:35:23( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: at least ensures that they receive a stable social check if we fail to act, about four million seniors and people with disabilities will see an increase in their part b premium that would result in a in their social security commeck. -- check.

0:35:24 to 0:35:44( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: i'm quite sure that all of us understand that even among the higher income beneficiaries under social secity social security check becomes part of the financial fabric of most of our beneficiaries. they budgeted. they know they are going to spend it on rent or groceries or

0:35:45 to 0:36:06( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: presents for their grandkids. and it will be difficult for all of us to explain five or 10 or even $15 cut their check. some people had suggested we send a checkat the end of the year as i guess we did last year. i don't think they make that connection.

0:36:07 to 0:36:30( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: i don't think they figure out why that check came and from whom it came. what this does is levels the playing field so that a small percentage of beneficiaries will note paying to hold the other 75% harmless.

0:36:31 to 0:36:51( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: there are a very small number of upper income seniors basically receive a cut in part b benefit. these seniors, this group, already has a higher premium because it's income related and

0:36:52 to 0:37:13( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: pay taxes on their social security benefits which some of the lower income beneficiaries do not. also we hold harmless some lower income beneficiaries who payments are made by medicaid

0:37:14 to 0:37:34( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: and therefore if we didn't ps this, some of the states who were already having severe problems with their medicaid would have an extra burden for that small group. the bill is paid for out of a medicare fund which we set up some years ago for just this kind of program.

0:37:35 to 0:37:59( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: it's a fund where we set aside some money each year in the event we need dollars to solve a problem. this is a problem we foresaw coming up for a diverse group of our beneficiaries, and it seemed to be a fair way to not disrupt their financial

0:38:00 to 0:38:12( Edit History Discussion )

Fortney Pete Stark: planning and to provide a level playing field so that all the beneficiaries receive the same treatment and some were not subsidizing others. it's a bill i hope will have