Lindsey Graham: “Let's take another look at what Governor Bush and others in the House, as well as some of our colleagues, would offer to…”

“Let's take another look at what Governor Bush and others in the House, as well as some of our colleagues, would offer to seniors. They would offer choice in their prescription drug plan, but the choice is not for seniors. It is for the private insurers, the States, and other entities that might choose to participate. HMOs which participate can choose to offer an affordable benefit or a prohibitively expensive one or no prescription drug benefit at all. According to the Health Care Maintenance Organization, this year some 900,000 Medicare beneficiaries who had signed up with a Medicare+choice HMO have seen those benefits yanked away, as the HMO terminates coverage. Many others have seen their HMOs either eliminate the prescription drug benefit, as have many in my State of Florida, or they have seen that benefit substantially reduced. The House Republicans' plan looks to private insurance to offer prescription drug policies to seniors.”