Political Quotes

“I join with my colleague and friend. Senator Ron Wyden, to introduce legislation which we have sponsored since 2004 to ensure the sound fiscal management of the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Unquestionably, this new benefit marks a milestone for Medicare. Today millions of American seniors are at last receiving assistance with the high cost of prescription drugs. For so many, that will make a difference between choosing whether to take needed medications and providing the other necessities of life. We have indeed come a very long way. We look forward to realizing the many benefits of this coverage as we see the results of more affordable access to prescription drugs--better health for our seniors and substantial health care savings. At the same time, there is no doubt that this benefit can be improved. We have heard estimates that the average senior is saving an average of $1,000 per year, but we should ask how that saving is being achieved. The discovery by many seniors--when they reached the doughnut hole--that their cost of medications was the same or even higher than what they paid prior to enrolling in Part D--that should be a red flag that we may not be seeing the purchasing power of seniors harnessed for the savings they deserve. Our system is working well in terms of subsidy, but certainly needs to improve in terms of negotiating substantial discounts.”