Chuck Hagel: “I want to cover some areas of concern and questions that have been addressed, appropriately so, regarding the amendment…”

“I want to cover some areas of concern and questions that have been addressed, appropriately so, regarding the amendment, but let me generally make a comment in response to my friend from Massachusetts. One of the results the distinguished senior Senator from Massachusetts is not factoring in in our amendment is the discount that all Medicare beneficiaries would derive. The estimates of those discounts, which are real, which, in fact, are in existence now, those discount card programs, are anywhere from 25 to 40 percent. That is one piece of this that has not been addressed, and it is important to factor that back in. That is but one part of our complete prescription drug program. Obviously, another part is the catastrophic cap. I have been asked about pharmacies and how this legislation might affect pharmacies, because, as the Senator knows, we do not invent a new bureaucracy. I am sorry to have to say that again to some people who like big government, who think big is better, and the more money we throw at anything always makes everything better. That is aside from the debate about deficits in this country, which I hear an awful lot about in this body, about irresponsible spending. We do have to ask a question about the affordability. That may be painful for some of my colleagues but, in fact, that is reality. This program is not just about addressing what we must address--and the senior Senator from Massachusetts is exactly right; we need to address this.”