[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 130 (Friday, August 1, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: OUR SENIORS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES DESERVE A 
     RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE AND UNIVERSAL RX BENEFIT UNDER MEDICARE!

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 1, 2008

  Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, the insurance and pharmaceutical 
industry-friendly Medicare Part D drug benefit is, as predicted, 
costing taxpayers billions of unnecessary dollars, restricting access 
to needed pharmaceuticals, and providing windfall profits for the 
pharmaceutical companies. Last week, the Oversight and Government 
Reform Committee released an analysis that showed that pharmaceuticals 
covered under Part D cost 30 percent more than pharmaceuticals provided 
through Medicaid. Medicaid's program is administered by the Federal 
Government while Medicare Part D uses private insurance companies. As 
you know, it also provides no authority to negotiate prices, no other 
meaningful cost mechanisms, and a paltry benefit for far too many 
enrollees to boot.
  A report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research showed that a 
benefit administered by Medicare would save enough money to fully cover 
prescription drug costs between 2006 and 2013 and still have $40 
billion left over.
  For our seniors and for our children and grandchildren's future 
security, I urge you to reaffirm your support for one of the most 
successful social programs in our Nation's history by calling for a 
comprehensive and meaningful prescription drug benefit under Medicare, 
and one which addresses the outrageously high prices of prescription 
drugs paid by American consumers.
  I have introduced a bill that will replace the current plan with a 
benefit that provides seniors and people with disabilities with the 
drugs they need with no co-pay, no premium and no deductible. Every 
person would receive the same voluntary benefit, regardless of income 
or geographical location, just like traditional Medicare.
  How can the plan provide such a strong benefit without busting the 
budget? By including provisions that seriously address the outrageously 
high prices Americans are forced to pay for prescription drugs.
  First, the plan will include strong, loophole-free language to allow 
American pharmacists, wholesalers and distributors to purchase FDA-
approved prescription drugs at lower prices abroad. With strong 
reimportation language like that included in this plan, all Americans--
not just seniors--could save 30-70 percent on the price of prescription 
drugs without any Government subsidy.
  Second, the bill also allows Medicare to negotiate on behalf of all 
Medicare beneficiaries, something prohibited under the current 
Republican program, which could achieve discounts comparable to the 
significant discounts received by the Veterans Administration.
  Finally, the plan would ensure that when taxpayers foot the bill for 
research and development of a prescription drug, the pharmaceutical 
industry must offer that drug at a fair and reasonable price. Such a 
requirement has passed the House by a wide bipartisan majority in the 
past, only to be stripped out by the pharmaceutical industry in 
conference committee. Today, the taxpayer-funded National Institutes of 
Health continues to spend tens of billions of dollars a year on 
research and development of medicines. Most often, this R&D is then 
handed over to the pharmaceutical industry, whose member companies 
charge Americans any price they want for the final product. If we 
change this absurd system, we would ensure that new medicines would be 
affordable in the years ahead.
  As the current crisis makes all too clear, the time has come to 
support a comprehensive prescription drug benefit for seniors and 
people with disabilities that does not coddle the health insurance or 
pharmaceutical industries.

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