MEDIA ADVISORY, Friday, October 5, 2007
CONTACT: Yoni Cohen, Stark (202) 225-3202

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Pete Stark (D-CA), Chairman of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, today responded to a proposal by President George Bush and Senator John Ensign that would increase costs for beneficiaries of the Medicare prescription drug program.

"Much like former Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich a decade ago, President Bush and Senator Ensign want Medicare to wither on the vine," said Stark. "Increasing premiums and deductibles on some seniors would further erode Medicare's social insurance status – in which we all pay in and we all get the same benefits. It would discourage healthier and wealthier seniors' participation, turning Medicare into a welfare program, reducing its popularity and enabling Republicans to realize their goal of privatizing Medicare. If successful, the result would be higher costs, fewer benefits, and less health care for all Medicare beneficiaries."

"More broadly, the Bush/Ensign proposal is part of the Republican campaign to increase health care costs for all Americans," continued Stark. "Senator Ensign should go back to practicing medicine on animals as he was trained, not on senior citizens."

"If Senator Ensign understood Medicare, he’d know that wealthier people already pay a lot more than do lower income retirees. That's because there is no cap on the health insurance tax, which funds Medicare. If Senator Ensign is concerned about the financial future of government entitlements, I urge him to lift the cap on Social Security taxes and ensure financial stability for all of America's retirees. He and his Republican colleagues should also join Democrats who voted to eliminate tens of billions of dollars in overpayments to Medicare’s private plans. This would directly extend Medicare's solvency by three years," concluded Stark.