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CHICAGO,
IL—U.S. Representatives Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) met
with local seniors at North Park Village today to discuss and assess the
impact of the law on Chicago seniors. The Members of Congress also
screened a Families USA video featuring former news anchor Walter Cronkite
in which he discusses the pitfalls of the new Medicare law, such as the
significant coverage gap, or “donut hole,” and the provision that prohibits
Medicare from negotiating for lower drug prices.
The
plan became law late last year and polls show that seniors are confused
about its provisions, although those who do understand the plan oppose
it by wide margins. The video was produced by Families USA, which
is a non-profit, non-partisan organization focused on achieving high-quality,
affordable health care for all Americans.
“Seniors
know what that they want – a drug benefit under Medicare that will lower
their prescription prices. Seniors do not want a Republican plan
that will give billions of dollars to pharmaceutical companies and HMOs
while setting the groundwork to dismantle the program that seniors love
and trust. That’s why I am not surprised when seniors learn
more about the new Medicare drug law, they demand that Congress repeal
it and replace it,” Schakowsky said.
Emanuel
said, “I have heard from many of you about what you wanted in a Medicare
Rx bill. You have told me that you thought it was unfair that you
pay prices that are 30 to 80 percent higher than the prices across the
border in Canada. You told me that you are shocked to see sudden
price increases on your prescriptions – to go back to the pharmacy and
have your prescription cost $10, $20, or even $30 more than it did the
month before. Unfortunately, this bill does nothing to help control
the cost of drugs. The creators of this bill chose to listen to the
big pharmaceutical companies and the HMOs rather than to American seniors
and American taxpayers, and I voted against it because I believe that it
fails you, and fails all American families.”
The
Families USA video outlined the details of the law, explaining the level
of drug coverage it provides and the special circumstances for low-income
seniors. In addition, it describes the law’s shortcomings, including
the fact that it does nothing to control the skyrocketing cost of drugs,
disqualifies many seniors from low-income coverage with a strict assets
test, and will force seniors’ out-of-pocket drug costs to grow significantly
from year to year.
“The
Cronkite video is a straightforward explanation of the pros and cons of
the new law by one of America’s most respected journalists,” said Bill
Vaughan, Families USA’s director of government relations. “It provides
hard data showing why the nation needs to do a better job bringing prescription
drug inflation under control--otherwise the new Medicare benefit will be
totally inadequate and most seniors will still be hurting.”
“I
supported and will continue to fight for a prescription drug plan within
Medicare that provides real affordability for seniors by lowering the cost
of prescription drugs. We owe this to our seniors and our taxpayers,”
Emanuel said.
Schakowsky
concluded, “The Bush Administration has launched a PR offensive to sell
to seniors the new Medicare drug law, but with the help of Families USA
and my colleagues, we will help seniors uncover the real truth.”
The
Medicare Road Show will visit more than 20 cities across America in March,
April, and May. |
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