Gus Bilirakis: “Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate particularly the gentleman's emphasizing the discounts because fortunately for…”

“Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate particularly the gentleman's emphasizing the discounts because fortunately for America's seniors, and we will not hear this from the other side, the principles of competition that drive this new benefit are already showing real, real results. And CMS found during the first week, and I am talking about the first week in May now, the first week in May, which was really when all this started in terms of posting prescription drug discount card pricing information, et cetera, the CMS found that the discounted prices available through the program had already fallen 11\1/2\ percent for brand names and 12\1/2\ percent for generics over that first week. I do not know what the current picture is. I have not looked into that. But the fact of the matter is we can see what will happen here with competition. And these discounted prices are already less, already less, than what seniors without drug coverage are paying for their medications. And that is why, Mr. Speaker, it is so disappointing that some continue to demagogue this issue.”