Tom Harkin: “over 40 million Americans rely on Medicare for their health care security. For these Americans and their loved ones…”

“over 40 million Americans rely on Medicare for their health care security. For these Americans and their loved ones Medicare is a lifeline. And because of this Medicare must be protected and secured for today and tomorrow. Medicare, however, is not without its problems. Clearly, its benefits package needs to be updated to include prescription drugs. Seniors shouldn't have to make the choice between the drugs they need to stay healthy and food or heat. The Senate should once again try to craft a prescription drug plan to fill this great need. But there is also another problem with Medicare. And that is the principal subject of my sense-of-the-Senate resolution. Americans, no matter where they live, whether it is rural Iowa or urban Florida, are taxed at the same rate to help pay for Medicare-- 1.45 percent of payroll for both workers and their employers. And Medicare beneficiaries--whether in Brooklyn, IA or Brooklyn, NY--pay the same monthly Medicare premium. But while they pay the same taxes and premiums, the level of Medicare payments received by Americans often varies greatly from State to State. For example, my home State of Iowa receives an average $3,053 per beneficiary, which is 45 percent less than the national average. Some States are much higher than that. But there is a disparity between, say, $3,053 and the top State, which is over $7,000. It is quite substantial.…”