[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 21, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H4373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H4373]]
              MEDICARE PART D: A FLAWED HEALTHCARE POLICY

  (Mr. BISHOP of New York asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, two new reports released 
yesterday make an open and shut case that the Medicare part D drug 
benefit is inadequate to meet the needs of America's seniors. One 
report indicates that drug prices are increasing at four times the rate 
of inflation. The other report shows that the VA, which negotiates with 
the drug companies for better pricing, is paying 46 percent less for 
brand-name drugs than the prices listed by Medicare plans for the same 
drugs.
  Is there any better proof that we should have allowed the government 
to negotiate for lower prices when we had the chance? How can we 
explain or justify these exorbitant drug price increases to seniors? 
The drug companies say it is not their fault and blame the insurance 
companies, who return blame to the drug companies.
  There is really nowhere else to turn except to the Medicare bill, 
which continues to disappoint, frustrate and anger seniors. Part D 
works just fine for the drug companies and the HMOs, but it is not 
working for those seniors who, through no fault of their own, haven't 
signed up for a plan and will pay for the consequences of a bad plan 
for the rest of their lives.
  Like our energy policy, which coddles oil companies earning record 
profits, the Republicans' flawed health care policy built around part D 
rewards the pharmaceutical industry, another coddled industry, at the 
expense of one of the most vulnerable segments of our population, our 
seniors.

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