Senate Proceeding on Jul 16th, 2009 :: 6:12:00 to 6:19:30
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6:12:00 to 6:12:20( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: smith county memorial is one of 83 critical access hospitals in kansas. they're absolutely essential to the very lives of the people in rural america. indeed, they are essential to the very existence of rural america at i have the privilege of being the co-chairman of the world health care tom harkin of iowa, we're

6:12:00 to 6:19:30( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Pat Roberts

6:12:21 to 6:12:42( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: fighting on by our fingernail to exist to provide care to people who provide care to the people in these communities. for a cup of coffee, and i'd be happy to give her a cup of coffee. no cream or sugar, might be a little vinegar in it.

6:12:43 to 6:13:03( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: please come coffee. i will be bend over backwards to preserve the payment allow these hospitals open and to continue to serve the people in smith center cans -- smith center, kansas and elsewhere and throughout america. i believe this completely justified. i sleep fine at night knowing

6:13:04 to 6:13:25( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: that i used my influence through legislation, through the rural health care coalition, through the finance committee, through the "help" committee to me just enough to average a 1% 1%. 1% when she's hospitals are still fighting for their -- when these hospitals are still fighting for their lives.

6:13:26 to 6:13:46( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: i would like to personally invite the author of this article or any other member of "the washington post" board, to visit some of the rural hospitals in kansas with me. reporter's nail and i hope i get it right. i apologize if i don't. i apologize for picking on her. shala murray. shala, come to kansas with me

6:13:47 to 6:14:08( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: and let's go out to smith center. here is the hospital. this is the posh resort that you apparently think we fin medicare, with -- and it's true. you know, you go through the door and there are two-inch there's -- let's see, i think there are mozart's concert number 21 and they call you by

6:14:09 to 6:14:29( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: your first name and you get immediate treatment and there is massage facility and a spa in the back and that's a lot of what we have in our dodd city feed lots. that's just not the case. the c.e.o.'s, the doctors, nurses, and patients wk around the small hospital and see

6:14:30 to 6:14:50( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: equipment and facilities. flush come on. and that is influenced by individual members of congress. i wish. i've been fussing and feuding and pleading and cajoling with c.m.s. to try at least to get these payments to doctors hospitals up to the level that

6:14:51 to 6:15:12( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: they continue to exi flush with medicare cash, i think not. now just do you think lead sort? i'm not too sure of anybody that will give up their vacation and go to smith center hospital. they ought to. they have the finest people in the world.

6:15:13 to 6:15:33( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: and there -- fine folks. i'm not picking on smith memorial. they're doing a fantastic job with the resources they have. it makes me angry that some washingt, d.c., paper and also a reporter would demonize a proem that keeps america's heart beating. it is a patronizing and dead-wrong description and it

6:15:34 to 6:15:54( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: offends mends the people i am privileged to represent in rural kansas. but i want to tell ms. murray, i'm never going to stop fighting these hospitals, no mat american hospital association cuts with the white house, no

6:15:55 to 6:16:15( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: matter how many ugly are written here in i'm rather amazed at the deal at the american hospital association allegedly cut, billion cuts to senior citizens. waning, americans, it's your medicare. going to be more rationing, when doctorsay, i'm so, i can't

6:16:16 to 6:16:37( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: afford to continue. that's the target now on the finance committee, medicare. i never thought i would see the day that that would havment i'm not going to stop fighting have the american hospital association -- i'll tell, the kansas hospital association, mott mo hospital association, other h not happy with the national

6:16:38 to 6:16:58( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: association when you call in bed and get administration. what's the old saying? when you go 0 to bed with the federal government, when you wake up in the morning, you get someth night's sleep. that's exactly what's happened with association. they've come through my door and say, "help, help, help, help, help!

6:16:59 to 6:17:20( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: please get these reimbursement rates up." every year we've done that with medicare and the medicare program. we're being cut by 11% and the cost o of they blame republicans, once in a while, they blame democrats and said, why on earth did you cut medicare?

6:17:21 to 6:17:41( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: and now we're using medicare as a target for health care reform for this bill that's impossible for most people to comprehens? it's amazing. the american hospital association bought into it with $15 billion cuts. you've come through before every year when you wanted to keep the reimbursement rates level.

6:17:42 to 6:18:03( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: don't come through my door for at least a month, until i calm down. that's my duty to the people of my state, and comfortable, very comfortable, wi now, mr. president, i've been a little tough here. on a roifort a never met, obviously. she is speangdz in the people's

6:18:04 to 6:18:24( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: spending a lot of the people's house and talking to -- those are people with seniority -- i used you about i would urge her to talk to members who rural areas and the rural health care delivery system and understand that this is not a question of this hospital

6:18:25 to 6:18:45( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: flush ey're hanging on, as i sai by their fingernails just to and this is not true that members of distinguished presiding officer, anybody else that might happen to be listening to my remarks -- the great senator thune standing to my rear who also represents rural areas, has even a sparser

6:18:46 to 6:19:06( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: area than i do, and it's just not true. and this -- and this article comes right at the apex of the debate of the health care reform debate, and just not right. it's just not right. so anyway, let me again say

6:19:07 to 6:19:29( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: shvment sshala, why don't you come out to kansas. we'll go on out to the smith center, if you'd like to, and visit the hospital, or we'll visit as many hospitals you a you want. we'll see who's flush with regard to medicare payments. that's certainly not the case with them. i think i've made my paint, and i must say, as a former

6:19:30 to 6:19:35( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: journalist, former newspaperman,