mr. herger, i thought, was headed in the

mr. herger and ranking member -- thank you, mr. r and ranking member stark, also special greetings to congressman price with whom i've had the privilege of working in the past. um, you have my written statement, and it's, i understand, going to be entered into the record. i'd like to begin with what i think is the central issue that divides those of us who are opposed to the premium support idea from those who are in favor of it. i think all of us recognize that there are reforms to the existing medicare program that could improve its operation. all of us would like to see cost competition play an enhanced role. all of us would like to see delivery system reforms that result in better quality and lower costs. and we hope they will work, but maybe they won't. if they don't, who bears the risk of costs rising faster than projections? under traditional medicare those risks are pooled broadly across the population and over time, across all americans. under premium support those risks are shouldered by medicare beneficiaries who will be

mr. herger and ranking member stark. also special greetings to congressman price with whom i've had the privilege of working in the past. you have my written statement, and i understand it's going to be entered into the record i'd like to begin with what i think is the central issue that divides those of us who are opposed to the premium support idea from those who are in favor of it. i think all of us recognize that there are reforms to the existing medicare program that could improve its operation, all of us would like to see cost competition played an enhanced role. all of us would like to see delivery system reforms that result in better quality and lower costs. and we hope they will work. but maybe they won't. if they don't, who bears the risk of costs rising faster than projections? under traditional medicare, those risks are pooled broadly across the population and over time, across all america. under premium support, those risks are shouldered i medicare beneficiaries. who will be faced with higher out of pocket

mr. aaron is recognized five minutes. >> thain keogh representative herger and you have written statement i would like to begin with what i think is the central issue that divides us that are opposed to the premium support the idea. all of us recognize there are four-- reforms to improve the operation. we will all like to see cost competition played the enhanced role. people like to see delivery system reform that has better quality and the lacoste and we hope they will work. maybe unable to. if not who bears the rest of costs rising faster their projections? traditionally those risks are pooled across the population over time. under premium support those risks are shouldered by beneficiaries to our faced with higher out-of-pocket cost them sells. that is the fundamental choice that needs to determine a position on the issue per barrel some years ago we co-lead the term premium support with respect to a particular plan. more than the archer's but the benefits to which they are tied should not the economic and in the 17 years since they put the idea for wordpro i am changing my mind. our a