Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2499, the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program Extension Act of 2007. The measure includes an important, albeit limited,…
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2499, the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program Extension Act of 2007. The measure includes an important, albeit limited, delay of the scheduled 10 percent cut to Medicare's physician payment rates, which will help ensure quality care and access for Medicare patients without the cuts to vital Medicare programs I opposed previously. While not the expansion to reach an additional 4 million children I had hoped for, S. 2449 also extends the authorization for the State Children's Health Insurance Program until March 31, 2009, ensuring the needs of the 6 million children currently enrolled are met. I hope Congress will again forge ahead and continue negotiations to reach more of these eligible and uninsured children.
As co-chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, I was extremely pleased to see the reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program to fund type 1 diabetes research and type 2 treatment and prevention programs for Native Americans and Alaska Natives included in S. 2449. I am the lead Republican sponsor, with my colleague Representative Diana DeGette, of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 2762, to reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program for Type I Research and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians for 5 years and to increase the authorized funding level to $200 million annually for each program. While a long-term extension is needed, in this difficult budget environment a short-term extension is a step in the right direction and I will continue to work next year with my colleagues to finish the job and secure a multi-year renewal so the critical long- term projects supported by this program can continue.
Since their creation in 1997, the Special Diabetes Programs have led to research breakthroughs through the Special Diabetes Program for Type 1 Research and have increased diabetes treatment and prevention programs for Native Americans and Alaska Natives through the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. Before this time, efforts on both fronts were in short supply. The Special Diabetes Programs have been reauthorized twice and have enjoyed broad bipartisan support in both the House and Senate; and H.R. 2762 continues in this spirit with 225 cosponsors.
The reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Programs is vitally important and an extension to September 30, 2009 is welcome.
With over 20 million adults and children in the U.S. affected by diabetes, the cost to the U.S. economy is estimated at $132 billion per year in direct and indirect medical costs alone. Continued funding of the Special Diabetes Programs will ensure that the Federal effort to combat diabetes remains strong, as we ardently work to ensure that accelerated diabetes research, treatment, and prevention efforts with on the ground results in improving the lives of millions of people burdened with diabetes continue. I will continue to push for a longer extension of the Special Diabetes Programs.
