Elijah Lewis: “under the Republican plan, there is no defined benefit. There is no set premium. This is a scheme written by the…”

“under the Republican plan, there is no defined benefit. There is no set premium. This is a scheme written by the insurance companies. The Republicans did not like Medicare back in 1965, and they do not like it now. Here they are, once again, trying to privatize prescription drugs for seniors, just like they tried to privatize Medicare. This is nothing but a scheme. The Republican scheme requires low-income seniors to go to the State welfare office. Are my Republican sisters and brothers suggesting that my 86-year-old mother go down to the welfare office to find out whether she can get her prescription medicine? This is a sham. This is a shame, and this is a disgrace. My Republican colleagues, on the other hand, would prefer to give the money away in tax breaks to the wealthy, rather than to offer a sensible and affordable prescription medicine benefit. The availability of prescription medicine should not depend on the size of one's wallet or one's ZIP code. There is no room, but no room in here to play partisan politics. No person in the twilight of his or her life should not have to choose between putting food on the table and getting his or her blood pressure and heart medicine. This is not just, this is not right, and this is not fair. We have a moral obligation, a mission, and a mandate to stand up for our seniors. Our seniors do not want a prescription drug benefit next year, our seniors want it now, and they deserve it now.”