Kenny Hulshof: “talk is cheap. Prescription drugs are not. They are expensive and getting more expensive every day. Seniors need help…”

“talk is cheap. Prescription drugs are not. They are expensive and getting more expensive every day. Seniors need help now. The competing plans are alike in certain respects, monthly premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket costs, taking care of low-income seniors; but I agree with the gentleman who just spoke that there are some philosophical differences between the two plans. In other words, shall seniors have a right to choose or shall America's seniors be forced to lose? That is what is at stake. Do we trust older Americans to be able to choose for themselves the prescription drug plans and let them keep the plans that they like? Or shall we force them into a take-it-or-leave-it approach? I think we should trust those in their golden years to make those decisions for themselves. We have seen health-run plans in other nations, and we have seen they have not worked. In Canada and England they are not on the cutting edge of having miracle drug therapies; or the fact that seniors cannot get prescription drugs, have their doctors prescribe them and then get those drugs as they need it. When Medicare began in 1965, the corner drugstore was the gathering place. People would sit around and catch up. Pharmacists would know a person's name, know their medical history. That has not changed even though the country has. Under our plan, that will not change, except that prescription medicines will be cheaper. I urge a yes vote on the bipartisan plan.”