Democrats have been fighting for years to provide a real Medicare prescription drug benefit to America's seniors. One-third of Medicare beneficiaries have no drug coverage at all, and another 20 percent have coverage for only part of the year. These seniors and disabled Americans spend thousands of dollars on prescription drugs each year, and over the past three years, their total spending on prescription drugs increased by almost 50 percent.

Democrats support a Medicare prescription drug benefit that helps seniors, not HMOs. That's why Democrats want to repeal the Republican prescription drug plan written for big drug and insurance companies and replace it with real coverage for seniors and the disabled. The Republican Medicare legislation needs to be repealed because it:

Prohibits the government from negotiating for lower prices. The Republican prescription drug plan makes no progress on the most pressing issue to American seniors, bringing down the price of prescription drugs. The Republican plan won't let the government negotiate lower prices for Medicare participants, and it won't allow for the re-importation of approved drugs from other nations where prices are far lower.

Favors special interests not seniors. The final Medicare legislation is more of a deal for drug makers and insurance companies than a benefit for seniors and the disabled. Drug companies stand to reap almost $139 billion in windfall profits, while HMOs and insurance companies won a $46 billion slush fund to subsidize the Republican plan to privatize Medicare.

Pushes seniors into HMOs. The Republican plan will force traditional Medicare to "compete" with private plans--despite the fact that huge government subsidies tilt the playing field to HMOs. This plan doesn't create good choices or guaranteed benefits for our seniors. Instead it would leave seniors and the disabled at the mercy of HMOs that can charge higher premiums and offer fewer benefits.

The Republican-written legislation breaks Medicare's promise, a promise that Democrats created and have defended despite 40 years of Republican opposition.

Democrats would replace this special interest legislation with a real prescription drug benefit, which is:

Affordable -- with reasonable premiums and deductibles -- designed to significantly reduce the price of prescription drugs.

Meaningful -- with defined, guaranteed benefits -- no gaps or gimmicks.

Within the Medicare program -- not a separate privatized plan that lets HMOs make all the decisions about costs and benefits.

Available to all seniors and disabled Americans on Medicare no matter where they live -- rural or urban -- or what their incomes are.