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News
Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge
North Carolina
July 21, 2003
Contact:
Sara Lang
Phone:
(202) 225-4531
RALEIGH -- As part of a nationwide effort, U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) met this weekend with seniors from across the Triangle region about the prescription medicine plan that is currently being debated in Congress. The Republican leadership in the House of Representatives passed by one vote a complicated prescription drug plan that would privatize Medicare and force seniors to leave trusted doctors and hospitals. This plan could leave seniors, especially those living in rural areas, without any prescription drug coverage. Etheridge talked to seniors about his efforts to pass a prescription drug benefit that is simple, affordable and guaranteed to all seniors.
"Hiding behind the rhetoric of reform, the Republican Leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a seriously flawed and partisan Medicare bill by only one vote," Etheridge said. "I voted against this bill because it is a direct contradiction of what America's seniors deserve in a Medicare prescription medicine benefit. The Republican bill subjects seniors to a complex plan that features fluctuating premiums, a gap in coverage and will not work in rural areas. Instead of this misguided bill, I voted for a Medicare prescription medicine plan that is simple, comprehensive, fair and affordable."
The prescription medicine plan passed by the House Republicans relies on private plans to offer coverage, set prices, and determine premiums. It provides no fallback option for seniors who live in rural areas not covered by HMOs even though 80 percent of rural Medicare beneficiaries - 7.4 million - live in an area that private plans have chosen not to serve. In just one year, 22 percent of North Carolina's Medicare beneficiaries were dropped by a private plan and had to switch providers to continue to receive care.
The House prescription drug plan also leaves many seniors without any assistance because of a gap in coverage. The House plan provides no assistance for seniors' medicine costs between $2,000 and $4,900. Many Medicare beneficiaries could fall into that gap, as 59 percent of Medicare beneficiaries pay more than $1,000 for prescription drugs and 39 percent pay more than $2,000.
Prescription medicine plans passed by the House and the Senate are now in conference, where differences between them must be worked out.
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