i want to offer a warm welcome to our invited witness, medpac chairman glenn hackbarth. thank you for joining us today and i look forward to hearing your testimony. i would also like to extend a special word of thanks to medpac executive director mark miller and the entire medpac staff for their hard work on this report. before i recognize ranking member for the purpose of an opening statement i ask unanimous consent that all members written statements be included in the record. without objection, so ordered. i now recognize ranking member stark for his opening statement. >> thank you mr. chairman and i join you in welcoming glenn and medpac. the efforts of medpac and their staff have helped us in the past. many of the recommendations in the current provisions are medpac's work and they have informed a number of -- they have formed a number of the reforms that are in the law that modernize the delivery of health care that better rewards value over volume and encourages better coordination. they helped us with ideas to lower preventable readmissions come the testing of bu