Janice Schakowsky: “this House should not adjourn for the year before we extend the enrollment period for seniors to sign up for the…”

“this House should not adjourn for the year before we extend the enrollment period for seniors to sign up for the Republican Medicare prescription drug plan. I did not support the law, because I favored a benefit within the actual Medicare program. Instead, Republicans chose a plan that forced seniors to choose from multiple plans. President Bush and congressional Republicans say it is necessary to have multiple drug plans competing in order to help drive down costs, but a report from the Government Reform Committee says the complicated drug benefit has failed to lower drug prices. The prices available to seniors are over 80 percent higher than those negotiated by the Federal Government for veterans and 60 percent higher than the prices available to consumers in Canada. Instead of lowering drug prices, the new prescription drug plan has resulted in mass confusion for seniors. Seniors should have the time to make the best choice for themselves rather than be penalized if they do not make a decision by May 15. We should extend the deadline by 6 months before we leave for the year and support the Stark-Schakowsky bill, H.R. 3861. ____________________”