Trends in Long-Term Care - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

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I am say<strong>in</strong>g it is a small community, and people <strong>in</strong> Albany deal<strong>in</strong>g
with this problem.
I am not suggest<strong>in</strong>g it is <strong>in</strong> any way based on anyth<strong>in</strong>g to do with
religious faith, but I am talk<strong>in</strong>g about the associations that are assumed,
that simply because these people are members of the same
religious group, and I submit that if I try to view it generously, as I
said, if I try to view it generously, that is to me the basis for the
department of health's misconception regard<strong>in</strong>g this network of
ownership.
Mr. HALAMANDARIS. Counsel, may I <strong>in</strong>terrupt.
Speak<strong>in</strong>g of generosity, the Senator has certa<strong>in</strong>ly extended his to
you <strong>in</strong> allow<strong>in</strong>g you to make these speeches cont<strong>in</strong>ually, hour after
hour. But the time is grow<strong>in</strong>g late, and I would like to make one last
request, and let the Senator recess the hear<strong>in</strong>g, because I know he has
a plane to catch.
Would you be k<strong>in</strong>d enough to supply us with a statement of your
net worth, whatever it is, the f<strong>in</strong>ancial statement, <strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g the hold<strong>in</strong>gs
which you have?
We have various lists supplied to us by the department of health,
and they may also be <strong>in</strong>accurate.
Mr. LEWIN. Well, there is a question <strong>in</strong> this regard. I don't th<strong>in</strong>k
Dr. Bergman is at all concerned about conceal<strong>in</strong>g anyth<strong>in</strong>g.
There is a matter of privacy <strong>in</strong>volved. Simply to say to a witness,
what I want to do is I want to get a statement of your net worth, at
least strikes me as an issue that is questionable.
Mr. HALAMANDARIS. We will do it on a confidential basis, and not
pr<strong>in</strong>t it <strong>in</strong> the record.
Mr. LEWIN. I will submit, if it is submitted on a confidential basis,
and I have not discussed this with Dr. Bergman, it will have to be on
a confidential basis, that limits that disclosure not to people that might
be generously <strong>in</strong>volved with the committee, but maybe directly to the
chairman, and maybe directly to counsel, and no one else, because this
is a matter of <strong>in</strong>dividual privacy.
He has been subject to a substantial amount of abuse <strong>in</strong> the press,
and I th<strong>in</strong>k hie is entitled to obta<strong>in</strong> that privacy.
Senator Moss. Well, Dr. Bergman, you have responded today, and
answered a great many questions here that we have prepared, and I
know you have not had much preparation, and you of course have
submitted your books now, and we want to look at them as carefully
as we can, and to get them <strong>in</strong>terpreted.
Would it be satisfactory for you to return on the 4th of February
for a hear<strong>in</strong>g?
Dr. BERGMAN. Mr. Senator, anytime you call me, I am ready.
Senator Moss. Well, the 4th of February is about 2 weeks away.
It is on a Tuesday. I was just look<strong>in</strong>g at my book to see when I could
get up here aga<strong>in</strong>., and I th<strong>in</strong>k I could do it on the 4th of February.
Would that be satisfactory?
Mr. LEWIN. Senator, I have to check my schedule, and I know I
have a conference <strong>in</strong> Wash<strong>in</strong>gton at that time, and let me say that
l)r. Bergman, as I th<strong>in</strong>k it is clear, has come here with the purpose of
cooperat<strong>in</strong>g.
I don't th<strong>in</strong>k lhe should be harassed by repeated trips to the
committee.