[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 90 (Monday, July 8, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        MEDICARE MODERNIZATION AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG ACT OF 2002

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 27, 2002

  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of a strong and 
comprehensive prescription drug benefit for all Americans. As the 
prices for prescription drugs have risen at twice as the inflation 
rate, this issue is of the utmost importance to Americans in need of 
prescription drugs.
  Unfortunately, in the House there is only one prescription drug 
coverage proposal that will truly serve America's seniors and medically 
dependent populations. The Democrat prescription drug plan is the only 
proposal that is under Medicare, that gives consumers choice, that has 
no gap in coverage, that has legitimate drug cost controls, and that 
will truly assist American's with the exorbitantly rising costs of 
prescription drugs.
  The health of our nation depends on a strong drug proposal such as 
this.
  The Republican's bill would not provide the American people with an 
assured, reliable or substantive prescription drug benefit.
  The Republican bill would cover less than 25 percent of Medicare 
beneficiaries drug costs, leaving millions of Americans with much of 
the high drug costs they now face.
  The Republican bill includes a ``hole'' in the middle, where there is 
no coverage for drug costs between $2000 and $5600. Perhaps the other 
side didn't do their research, as nearly half of all seniors have drug 
costs over $2000, and would receive no coverage under the Republican 
plan for part of the year.
  Where is the benefit of this drug plan? Isn't the point of a 
prescription drug benefit to alleviate costs? Well, the Republican plan 
will hardly alleviate costs. Nor will it insure that a plan exists for 
all Americans.
  The Republican bill would rely on private insurance companies to 
provide a yet-to-exist prescription drug-only plan. This proposal 
includes no guarantee for stable coverage by private insurance 
companies but merely suggests what plans private firms may offer. Under 
this plan, costs of the plans may vary, and seniors on fixed incomes 
will have less opportunity to plan for their drug expenditures and 
personal budgets.
  As for consumer choice, the Republican proposal stops well short of 
providing any choices. Under the Republican plan, if a drug is not on a 
formulary, then it is not covered, and even when a drug is on the 
formulary, this bill permits private insurance not to cover it.
  The Republican plan does not let people choose their own pharmacies, 
and instead creates private networks for drug delivery, increasing the 
time, trouble and travel seniors, caregivers and the disabled must go 
through to obtain necessary medication.
  Finally, the people that this program should most benefit--America's 
low-income senior population--are left out in the cold. In the 
Republican plan, low-income seniors will be required to pay up to $3600 
out-of-pocket expenses per year to cover the ``hole'' in coverage, 
would have weak protections from high medicine copayments, and worse, 
could face denial of medicine if they are unable to cover the co-pay.
  The Democrat bill is not deficient in these ways.
  The Democrat plan has no hole in the coverage, and would not stick 
seniors with the $3600 potential bill that the Republican plan would.
  The Democrat plan limits out-of-pocket costs to just $2000 per year--
as much as 47 percent less than the limit under the Republican plan.
  The Democrat plan gives consumers choice, allowing them the freedom 
to use the pharmacy of choice, instead of the restrictive ``private 
network'' limitations of the Republican plan.
  Nor does the Democrat plan limit the access to specific medicines, 
and instead pays some coverage for all drugs, regardless if they are on 
the formulary or not. The Democrat plan would not steer, limit or 
channel American's to specific drugs as the Republican plan would.
  And perhaps most importantly, the Democrat plan has a method for 
controlling the actual costs for drugs. It is the dramatic increase in 
prescription drugs that has brought us to this juncture, and the 
Democrat plan would enable the Health and Human Services Secretary to 
negotiate prices on behalf of all Americans, thereby saving American 
consumers, taxpayers, and the government millions in drug costs. Under 
the Republican plan, there is no collective effort towards cost 
controls, and realistically, there will be no control of spiraling drug 
costs.
  Mr. Speaker, I am not alone in my opposition to the Republican bill 
and my support for a strong and true prescription drug benefit. The 
National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the AFL-CIO, the Medical 
Group Management Association, the National Education Association and 
the American Federation of Teachers, Families USA, the National Council 
on Aging, and perhaps most importantly, the American Association of 
Retired Persons all either oppose the Republican plan, or endorse the 
Democrat prescription drug plan.
  America's senior community--what has been called ``America's Greatest 
Generation''--deserves no less than a substantive and strong 
prescription drug benefit bill. I urge my colleagues not to fall for 
the smoke and mirrors, and to realize that the Republican plan will not 
provide the relief and benefit that is needed to combat the rising 
costs of prescription drugs. Our seniors do not deserve limited choices 
on drugs and pharmacies, and should not be made to shoulder the high 
costs of the Republican plan.
  Don't be duped America--there is only one bill that works for 
America, only one bill that will provide Americans affordable access to 
drugs, and that is the Democrat prescription drug bill.

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