Frank Pallone: “I listened to my colleagues on the Republican side talk about the discount drug card, so-called, that goes into effect…”

“I listened to my colleagues on the Republican side talk about the discount drug card, so-called, that goes into effect June 1. It is such a farce. First of all, there is no drug benefit. We all know that. They have postponed that to sometime 2 years from now, in 2006, when you will actually have to put out more money than the benefit you would get, so nobody would sign up for it anyway. But what a farce these cards are. In my district in New Jersey, you can already get most of these cards. You do not even need to go through the Federal Government. In addition to that, if you look on this Web site and it shows you that there is a lower price, well, if you look and compare with other Internet sites, the prices are usually lower in other Internet sites. You do not even need the drug card. In addition to that, the price can change. Whatever price is on that Web site, a week later they can change the price and simply raise it. In addition, my constituents have been complaining about how they go to a particular pharmacy, they will not even take the card. I have never seen so much chaos. Seniors are disgusted by this proposal. It is just a bureaucratic nightmare. It gives them no discount whatsoever and no benefit.”