Steny Hoyer: “Mr. Speaker, if truth in advertising applies to legislation, we would have a duty to warn America's seniors, beware, the…”

“Mr. Speaker, if truth in advertising applies to legislation, we would have a duty to warn America's seniors, beware, the Republicans' prescription drug bill could be hazardous to your health. This bill is nothing less than an historic betrayal of America's seniors. The GOP pretends that it is merely extending Medicare, but in fact the bill is the most dangerous attempt yet to dismantle the most popular health care program in history. The Republicans fought the adoption of Medicare in 1965. Their majority leader said that Medicare should not exist in a free society. Yesterday the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, the architect of this bill, said on television, and the Members can read it here, 'To those who say that [the bill] would end Medicare as we know it, our answer is we certainly hope so.' This bill would drive seniors out of Medicare and into the arms of private insurers. There is no guaranteed monthly premium. There is no defined benefit for seniors. There is no guaranteed access to drugs seniors must have. The only guarantee in this bill is that it would leave a huge gap in coverage. Seniors would pay a $250 deductible, $420 a year in premiums, and all costs between $2,000 and $5,100 in drug expenses. That is $3,100 left to seniors to pay. This bill even prohibits the government from negotiating lower drug prices for seniors.”