David Price: “any prescription drug benefit worthy of the name will provide a defined benefit as part of Medicare. It must be…”

“any prescription drug benefit worthy of the name will provide a defined benefit as part of Medicare. It must be available to all seniors who wish to take advantage of it. The Republican plan does not measure up. It simply throws some taxpayers' money at some insurance companies in the hopes they will offer affordable coverage. It just will not work. The national president of Blue Cross/Blue Shield recently said, ``This idea provides false hope to America's seniors because it is neither workable nor affordable.'' The Republican plan also defies logic. To get $1,000 worth of prescription drug coverage a senior would have to pay $1,070. Who is going to do that? Who wants to pay more to get less? Certainly not my constituents. The 1.1 million Medicare beneficiaries in North Carolina deserve a real prescription drug benefit, and it is outrageous that through partisan maneuvering we were not even allowed to offer a substitute plan today. Why are the Republicans scared of a vote? They must know we have a better plan, a real plan, and one that will help seniors get the coverage they need.”