FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 15, 2006

CONTACT: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider 202-226-7616

Democrats Offer "Prescription for Change" to Medicare Drug Bill

Washington D.C.– Calling it a “special interest fiasco,” Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today joined Congressman John Dingell (D-MI) to offer a “Prescription for Change” to fix the disastrous Republican prescription drug benefit.

America’s seniors are struggling with a complex and confusing prescription drug plan written for the special interests, implemented so poorly that some Americans can’t get the medicine they need.  House and Senate Democrats will hold a series of events nationwide next week to discuss the problems people are facing, and to present Democratic proposals to improve the program.

 “America’s seniors were promised Medicare drug coverage, and instead were given unnecessary complexity and confusion,” said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid. “Seniors and people with disabilities are paying the cost of President Bush and Congressional Republicans’ ties to HMOs and drug companies, but Democrats are ready with solutions. America can do better than the misplaced priorities of this confusing plan.”

“The Republican prescription drug benefit is confusing and complicated because it was written for pharmaceutical companies, not seniors,” said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. “Democrats believe that we must replace this misguided Republican plan with one that is clear, fair, and puts America’s seniors first.”

“Illinois seniors wanted a Medicare benefit that would lower their drug prices,” Durbin said.  “What they have today is a confusing benefit, a law that prohibits Medicare from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies and a plan that guarantees drug companies billions of dollars in profits.   Medicare Part D is a reward for drug companies and a disaster for America’s seniors. We must change the benefit to make it fair, reliable and affordable"

"Medicare beneficiaries deserve the prescription drug relief they were promised in 2003 and Democrats have a plan to give it to them," said Dingell, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

“The problems with the Medicare drug benefit come as no surprise to Democrats,” said Stabenow. “We knew this program was a giveaway to special interests that has so far provided more headaches than help to seniors. Seniors deserve a real prescription drug benefit – one that works for them, not against them.”

President Bush and Congressional Republicans sold the Medicare drug plan to the people as a benefit for seniors, but instead they sold out to the special interests. The plan is a giveaway to drug companies and HMOs, protecting their profits instead of the American people. Meanwhile, seniors and people with disabilities suffer with an overly complex and poorly implemented program, in many cases paying too much and in some cases being denied their medicine entirely.

Democrats are ready to reform the plan, because America’s seniors deserve better than this confusing and complex prescription drug benefit.

“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi