Thomas Foley: “I would just ask Members who are so comfortable with the insurance provided to them through Blue Cross Blue Shield, it…”

“I would just ask Members who are so comfortable with the insurance provided to them through Blue Cross Blue Shield, it is a PPO, it is made out to me, it is a government-wide benefit plan that has a retail pharmacy carrier; it has a mail order if I want; there is a customer service number; I can use it at most hospitals for admission and medical doctors. But surprisingly, it is not the Federal Government, it is Blue Cross and Blue Shield. So if this is so onerous and a disaster waiting to happen, then maybe my colleagues ought to turn in their card. I think they probably would not go without the coverage, and that is what my constituents have been asking for: give me what you have. Let me have choices. Let me have options. Let me decide for myself. Now, they may be outraged at AARP, but up until last week they were always throwing it in our faces that this was the legitimate group that negotiated for seniors, and now all of a sudden they have racked up this alleged racketeering, mob-style pharmaceutical alliance with big PhRMA. It is just interesting, when they change their viewpoint and decide to support something we are doing, this is evil incarnate. A week ago they were the gold standard of senior care and consideration; today we are going to burn our cards. So I ask my colleagues to be the judge: is it politics, or is it process? Is it results, or is it claiming credit?”