Political Quotes

“This bill of course we have yet to see but have heard a lot about what will essentially privatize Medicare. Not only will the bill begin to dismantle a program that has worked for over 30 years; it does fatten the pockets of the pharmaceutical and the private insurance industry donors, leaves over 9 million rural Medicare beneficiaries with no access to affordable prescription drugs, and really does pit seniors one against the other based on their income through means testing. I hope we say no to this Republican bill. Under this bill, Republicans have eliminated Federal Medicaid funding to fill in the gaps in the Medicare drug benefit, disproportionately affecting rural beneficiaries who are 20 percent more likely to have incomes below 150 percent of poverty level. This means that up to 1.7 million beneficiaries could have their current drug coverage reduced. Under this bill new, untested private insurers are authorized to provide a prescription drug benefit. Under this bill Republicans cap Medicare spending for the traditional programs and also for private plans, of course shifting the greater risk and cost to our senior citizens. It does not make any sense to provide a $12 billion slush fund to keep private insurers in Medicare, which is really anticompetitive. It is costly and it is unfair to seniors.”