Stephanie Herseth Sandlin: “Mr. Speaker, do we want to privatize Medicare? That is the question. It is as simple as that. Do we want to make…”

“Mr. Speaker, do we want to privatize Medicare? That is the question. It is as simple as that. Do we want to make prescription drugs available and affordable for senior citizens, or do we want to give money to HMOs to operate a plan for their profit? That is the question. I rise today to join my colleagues in instructing the Medicare prescription drug bill conferees to reject the House-passed premium support provision, turning Medicare into a private voucher program, as well as the $6 billion wasted in the ill-conceived Kyl demonstration projects. We have a clear responsibility as Members of Congress to improve Medicare, not to destroy it. Yet, if we allow the Republican leadership to continue on their dangerous path toward privatizing Medicare, our seniors' access to affordable health care will be compromised beyond compare. Further, Medicare's promise of equity will be ended in a regional free-for-all in benefits and prices. The Republican leadership is playing games with the American public with their constant renaming of this ill-conceived proposal. We all know it. You can call it 'premium support,' you can call it 'comparative cost adjustment,' you can call it a 'voucher program.' Heck, you can call it 'Ray' or you can call it 'Jay,' but it is the same thing. Starting in 2010, our seniors will no longer be entitled to a Medicare defined benefit. It is as simple as that. How is that fair?”