Political Quotes

“on this Friday we have had a number of speakers come forward over the course of the morning and the afternoon on the topic of how best to improve Medicare, strengthen Medicare, preserve it, and build upon what we have learned in the past to bring it up to date and to give seniors the opportunity to receive the type of health care available today of which most people in the private sector are able to take advantage but to which, because of the structure of Medicare today, seniors simply do not have access in a way they really deserve: Things such as prescription drugs, which, as we heard debated 20 or 30 minutes ago by the distinguished Senator from Florida, are so absolutely critical to the health care toolbox, to the armamentarium out there today to take care of seniors and individuals with disabilities to prevent more serious illness for people on those pills that keep their blood pressure down at a reasonable level, that prevent debilitating strokes, prevent massive heart attacks; if they do not take that pill, those acute diseases that become chronic diseases occur, or episodic acute diseases occur. There is such a high barrier for prescription drugs that they are less likely to reach out and get the drugs. The whole purpose is to reverse the burden in a way that is sustainable over time. As politicians, we want to help people, we want to help them now.…”