Debbie Dingell: “Mr. Speaker, a month ago the Republican leadership was told by their pollsters that if they did not at least start to…”

“Mr. Speaker, a month ago the Republican leadership was told by their pollsters that if they did not at least start to sound like they cared about helping seniors with the cost of prescription drugs they would pay a heavy political price. That is why we are here today, saddled with a sham Republican prescription drug bill and a rigged process. The Republican proposal does not provide all seniors with an affordable Medicare prescription drug benefit. It benefits insurance companies. It is complex, takes the very worst from an already failing HMO system. If one needs a medicine that their HMO does not approve, their only recourse is to appeal to the insurance company. My God, we know that that does not work. Today I was notified by an insurance company that offers Medicare+Choice HMO coverage to seniors in Connecticut that they are no longer going to be able to offer them coverage. Seniors know that they cannot rely on the HMOs, but the Republican leadership is building their plan on this crumbling foundation. The Democratic Medicare prescription drug plan is rooted in the Medicare program that seniors know and trust. It provides affordable, voluntary, dependable coverage, and a guaranteed benefit. It gives seniors security and dignity. Reject the Republican sham bill.”