[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 77 (Monday, June 19, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H4596]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         READ FINE PRINT ON GOP MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN

  (Mr. BROWN of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Madam Speaker, in a ``Dear Colleague'' he 
circulated today, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) shared 
some exciting news about the GOP Medicare prescription drug plan. If 
only it were true.
  He asserts that the Republican plan, which relies on private insurers 
to offer individual prescription drug coverage, would cut prices twice 
as much as the Democrat's Medicare-based plan. That is a strong selling 
point. It is also complete rubbish.
  The Congressional Budget Office says the GOP drug plan may cut costs 
by 25 percent, not through lower prices, but by restricting access to 
medically necessary drugs.
  It is an important distinction. I will say it again. The Republican 
plan saves money, not by miraculously convincing the drug makers to 
lower their prices, but by limiting access to medically necessary 
prescription drugs.
  It cuts costs by decreasing the value of the drug benefit. The 
insurers win, the government wins, senior citizens lose.
  The Republican plan gives insurance companies carte blanche to do 
what they are doing today; that is, put price tags on treatment 
decisions and then deny coverage for medically necessary treatments. 
Sound familiar?
  The President's plan is explicit in requiring coverage for any 
medically necessary drug prescribed by a doctor, which makes sense 
since it is the doctor, not the insurer, who is actually treating the 
patient.
  I ask my colleagues to read the fine print of the Thomas proposal.

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