[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2144]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                MEDICARE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, there is one final issue that also is 
current that I want to take the opportunity to comment on because it is 
likely to be an issue that will be of interest and debated, and one 
people will be addressing over the coming days while we are on our 
recess.
  Last year, President Bush and a bipartisan team of Senators and 
Representatives made good on our promise to strengthen and expand and 
improve Medicare for America's seniors. The bill, the Medicare 
Modernization Act of 2003, represents the most significant improvement 
to Medicare in two generations. And now, because of this historic 
action, we are starting to see impressive results.
  We said reform would strengthen the program and increase choice and 
flexibility for our seniors. That is exactly what is happening. 
Medicare now gives more seniors access to more prescription drugs at a 
lower out-of-pocket cost. It provides seniors relief from the high cost 
of prescription drugs, especially the 12 million low-income seniors who 
need the help the most.
  The improvements to Medicare provide seniors with choice and control 
over their own health care plans. The new bill also protects seniors 
who already have prescription drug coverage they earned in the 
workplace.
  Educating seniors about improvements to the Medicare program and the 
new Medicare drug benefit is the right thing to do. It is also required 
by law. The law says seniors have the right to know how the 
prescription drug benefit is going to work and when they can start 
taking advantage of the new improvements to the program, such as the 
drug discount card.
  Unfortunately, some of my colleagues are attempting to subvert this 
legal obligation. They are blocking our legally required educational 
efforts. Why? Because they are trying to keep seniors from finding out 
their rights. They fear that the more seniors learn about the new 
Medicare benefits, the more seniors will like what they see.
  Not only are the Medicare opponents trying to keep seniors in the 
dark about their Medicare rights, these opponents are disparaging the 
education effort itself. But try as they may, they will not keep the 
truth under wraps.
  This is the ad they do not want you to see.
  It reads:
       First senior: So how is Medicare changing?

       The announcer: It is the same Medicare you have always 
     counted on, plus more benefits like prescription drug 
     coverage.
       Senior No. 2: Can I keep my Medicare just how it is?
       The announcer responds: Yes, you can always keep your same 
     Medicare coverage.
       Senior No. 3: Will I save on my medicines?
       Announcer: You can save with Medicare drug discount cards 
     this June and save more with prescription drug coverage in 
     2006.
       Senior 4: So my Medicare isn't different, it is just more?
       Announcer: Right. And you can learn more, call 1-800-
     MEDICARE.

  That is it. That is the Medicare ad opponents are doing everything 
possible to keep off the air. They don't want seniors to know they are 
eligible to receive prescription drug coverage under Medicare, nor do 
they want seniors to know that starting in June, seniors will be able 
to carry a drug discount card. The opponents don't even want seniors to 
know the number to call to ask for help. Instead, they are putting 
politics before people.
  They will not succeed. We will not allow election year politics to 
hurt America's seniors and individuals with disabilities. We will make 
sure every senior, every individual with a disability gets the 
information they need to make the very best choices they can for their 
health and for their life.

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