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WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) issued today’s “Bush Administration’s
Misstatement of the Day” on retirees losing current prescription drug coverage.
During
a speech at the White House on prescription drugs, President Bush said:
“If
there's a Medicare reform bill signed by me, corporations have no intention
to . . . dump retirees into a system they don't want to be dumped into.”
(Chicago Tribune, 10/30/03)
But
according to the San Francisco Chronicle (10/18/03):
“…one-third
of retirees will lose their current drug coverage if Medicare provides
a drug benefit. The Congressional Budget Office estimated a Medicare drug
benefit will crowd out private coverage for 4 million retirees.”
Schakowsky
said, “Our mission should be to do no harm, but under the Republican prescription
drug bill, 32 percent of retirees with employer-sponsored insurance would
lose that coverage, according to the Congressional Budget Office.”
Schakowsky
added that 12 million retirees would be worse off if Congress passes H.R.
1, the Medicare prescription drug bill. Earlier
this month, she offered a motion to instruct House negotiators on H.R.
1 to guarantee that seniors do not lose their employer retiree coverage.
The House, largely on a party line vote, failed to approve Schakowsky’s
motion. |
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