Deborah Koff Ross: “As the owner of a small-town family pharmacy, I got sick and tired of seeing seniors who could not afford their medicine…”

“As the owner of a small-town family pharmacy, I got sick and tired of seeing seniors who could not afford their medicine or could not afford to take it properly. That is why back in 2000 I decided to run for the United States House of Representatives. But tonight, what we are debating is nothing more than a false promise for our seniors. Seniors need an accountant to figure out this plan. I put a calculator to it, and here is what the Republican national leadership plan offers our seniors. Seniors will pay the first $2,520 of the first $3,500 worth of medicine they need every year. Now, let us contrast that a moment to a health care plan provided for Members of Congress, those who wrote this plan. Guess what they pay? Seven hundred dollars of the first $3,500 worth of medicine. They want to provide seniors with little help while continuing to take care of Members of Congress. It is simply wrong. This is not a seniors bill, this is a bill written by the big drug manufacturers for one reason only. To privatize Medicare. To privatize Medicare so that Medicare cannot command discounts.”