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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 the recently passed Republican Medicare prescription
drug bill.
On
Saturday, November 22, during his weekly radio address, President Bush
said:
The
House of Representatives passed legislation that would bring prescription
drug coverage to Medicare and lead to health care choices for our seniors.
This legislation, if also passed by the Senate, would represent the greatest
improvement in senior health care since Medicare was enacted in 1965. When
these reforms take full effect, our seniors would see real savings in their
health care costs.
However,
the President neglected to mention that the GOP bill would dismantle
Medicare.
The
President also failed to tell the millions of listeners that the losers
under this bill are the:
Finally,
President Bush omitted from his radio address his campaign contributors
who would are the real winners under the GOP bill. According to the
Washington
Post (2 Bills Would Benefit Top Bush Fundraisers, Executives' Companies
Could Get Billions, 11/24/03):
On
Medicare issues, Akin Gump represents the Pharmaceutical Research &
Manufacturers of America, Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories and
Pfizer Inc.. All would benefit from the expanded markets resulting from
a key provision of the bill -- the first federal subsidies to help Medicare
patients pay for prescriptions.
Hank
McKinnell, chairman and CEO of Pfizer, has pledged to raise at least $200,000
for Bush's reelection, although he is not yet listed as a Pioneer or Ranger.
Pioneer Munr Kazmir, who runs a direct-mail drug company called Direct
Meds Inc., estimates that he has about 100,000 customers on Medicare who
will have more money to buy drugs from his company. "We know the patients,
we know how important this bill is," he said.
In
addition to the prescription drugs provision, the Medicare bill is intended
to encourage recipients to join preferred-provider organizations (PPOs)
and other kinds of private health care, instead of receiving care through
the traditional fee-for-service system in which they pick their doctors
and generally get whatever care they request. The health industry has provided
substantial support to the Bush campaign, and a number of officials whose
companies and associations actively support the Medicare bill are Pioneers
and Rangers.
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