Frank Pallone: “I wanted to point out that the Republican Medicare plan would drastically increase out of pocket costs for seniors…”

“I wanted to point out that the Republican Medicare plan would drastically increase out of pocket costs for seniors citizens. Basically, it is the same thing we had last year. Last year the Medicare bill the Republicans passed doubled the Medicare part B premium from $46.10 in 1995 to about $89 in 2002. It would have increased the Medicare premium by $440 per couple per year. Well, that did not work so now the Republican leadership comes up with another proposal. This year the new Republican proposal would allow doctors to overcharge seniors for standard medical procedures. According to the Physician Payment Review Commission, a nonpartisan panel of experts that advises Congress, this could leave beneficiaries exposed to substantial out-of-pocket liability in the range of 40 percent of their Medicare bill. Under the Republican plan, a senior needing major surgery, for example, could end up facing thousands of dollars in medical bills which neither Medicare nor Medigap policies would cover. So once again the Republicans are substantially increasing out-of-pocket expenses for seniors. That is what their Medicare plan is.”