Political Quotes

“today a report was released showing the median difference between the lowest Medicare discount card price and the best available price for the Veterans' Administration. The difference was 58 percent. Most people realize we are about to start this Medicare prescription drug plan. This plan was created to give seniors a discount on prescription drugs, which is something we need. Prescription drugs keep seniors healthy, and the healthier they are the better their lives and the less costs to taxpayers. But many of us objected to the original Medicare prescription drug plan because it was drawn up, frankly, by the pharmaceutical companies. They were unwilling to give up any of their profits to a Medicare plan, and that is how the law was written. As a result of that, many of us voted no, saying there is a model we should follow. Currently, the Veterans' Administration provides prescription drugs to hundreds of thousands of veterans across America. To provide the drugs, the Veterans' Administration bargains with the pharmaceutical companies for the lowest possible price. We said, Why wouldn't the Medicare system, which is much larger--embracing, I think, some 40 million Americans-- why wouldn't the Medicare system be in a strong bargaining position to get the same discounted drug prices and therefore help the seniors to lower costs and reduce the burden on taxpayers that have to subsidize this program?…”