Feingold Discusses the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill at Local Listening Sessions January 13, 2004 Prescott, WI – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today discussed the Medicare prescription drug bill that Congress recently passed at his local Listening Sessions. Although he voted for the original Medicare bill that passed through the Senate earlier last year, Feingold voted against the recent Medicare package that emerged from the House-Senate conference because of the overall harm it does to the Medicare system. "There are three important reasons why I voted against this bill: it moves to privatize Medicare, it does nothing to reign in the skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs, and it will make many Wisconsinites worse off than they are now," Feingold said. "I want a prescription drug benefit for our seniors. They need it, and they deserve it. But this bill would do too much harm to the entire Medicare program, while providing a weak prescription drug benefit to our seniors." Feingold was pleased that provisions that will bring Wisconsin a more fair share of Medicare dollars, that he helped to get included in the Medicare bill, were retained in the final Medicare conference report. However, on balance, Feingold was concerned about the negative impacts this bill will have on seniors in Wisconsin and across the country and could not support the final legislation. Feingold introduced legislation early last month that fixes some of the problems with the new law and allows Medicare to negotiate the best price for seniors. He also introduced legislation to eliminate the multi-billion dollar "slush fund" that the law gives to private insurance companies. "One of my greatest concerns is how this bill will impact Wisconsinites," Feingold said. "While providing, at best, a minimal prescription drug benefit for some, the bill will make others worse off than they currently are. It is estimated that, because of this bill, 60,000 retirees in Wisconsin will lose the health insurance they currently have from their employers. Over 110,000 poor, disabled or elderly Wisconsinites who currently pay nothing for their prescription drugs will now face increased payments for their prescription drugs because of this bill. This bill will also drive up costs for the state, in a time of fiscal crisis, because Wisconsin will lose its ability to negotiate lower drug prices and will face increased administrative costs." Feingold held his 20th Listening Session of 2004, and his 812th since he was first elected, at Prescott high School, starting at 8:30 a.m. He held his 21st Listening Session of 2004, and his 813th since he was first elected, at the Hudson Municipal Building, starting at 10:30 a.m. This is Feingold’s twelfth year of holding Listening Sessions in every county.

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