[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3650]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN; BAD MEDICINE FOR AMERICAN SENIORS

  (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, since the new Medicare prescription drug 
plan took effect at the beginning of this year, Members of this body 
have heard from thousands of frustrated seniors struggling with the 
confusing and poorly written plan. Now they are dealt a new blow: 
seniors who don't register in time will be forced to pay a penalty for 
the rest of their lives.
  Most seniors have yet to choose a prescription drug plan, many 
because they are unable to navigate the complex system, others because 
they are currently not taking any medication. For every month after May 
15, seniors who have not enrolled will be charged an extra 1 percent of 
the payment of any plan they eventually do choose, for the rest of 
their lives.
  This new tax on prescription drugs is yet another example of how this 
Republican plan was written to benefit large drug companies, not the 
Medicare recipients who need the help.
  Democrats are fighting to extend this deadline. Our seniors should 
not be penalized with a lifetime surcharge for doing their research on 
these plans.

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