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| Wilson Calls AFL-CIO Ads Deceptive |
August 01, 2000 |
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| Dear friend,
Thank you for contacting me in response to the prescription drug for seniors advertisement sponsored by Washington, D.C. special interests. Your contact is important because it`s always helpful to me to hear from my constituents about the issues that matter most to them. I appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight.
First of all, I want you to know that the advertisements are false. The truth is, I strongly supported a bi-partisan prescription benefit plan for Medicare that passed the House of Representatives on June 28, 2000. The plan I voted for, if passed by the Senate and signed by the President, will provide affordable, voluntary prescription drug coverage for all seniors on Medicare.
So, you`re probably asking yourself, how can a group like this say these things? It`s a free country and this type of advertising doesn`t have to be truthful.
We can disagree about issues and debate the details of ways to solve problems, but what troubles me most about these attack ads is that they intend to frighten our most vulnerable citizens . . . seniors who are worried about the cost of prescriptions and their continued access to quality health care. It`s enough that people have to deal with being ill and the worries that go with it. They shouldn`t have to cope with phony advertising by special interest groups whose purpose is to frighten and trick them.
Most of the marvelous advances in medical care we have now did not exist at the time that Medicare was established. We have a much longer life span and a much higher quality of life because there are miracle drugs available today that weren`t available 10 or 15 years ago. But for many patients the costs of prescriptions are very high.
I`ve met with many seniors in the Albuquerque area who have shared their horror stories about prescription drug costs. No senior should ever have to choose between buying food and buying medicine, which is why this bill is so important. All seniors should be able to get the medications they need at prices they can afford to lead healthy and active lives. At the same time, we should not force seniors with good private plans and who are happy with their coverage to give that up.
For those seniors who have drug coverage, the bill I supported doesn`t change a thing. But for seniors who don`t, we want to help them obtain coverage through Medicare.
Here`s how it will work. Medicare beneficiaries will have access to subsidized prescription coverage offered by private insurers or Medicare Choice plans (HMOs). Every senior will have a choice of plans. The standard premium will be about $37 per month. Not all seniors will pay a deductible, but it will never be more than $250. After the deductible, the plan will pay for half of prescription drug costs up to $2,350. Most seniors don`t pay more than that per year for their drugs. However, you know as well as I that some seniors go bankrupt paying for extremely high prescription drugs. The bill provides catastrophic protection by covering all costs for a senior above $6,000.
I’ve included a “side-by-side” comparison of the bill we passed (Medicare Rx 2000 Act) and the two proposals from the President. For New Mexicans, there were several clear advantages to the one I voted for.
* The President’s plans gave seniors only one chance to sign up with no opportunity to enroll later.
* The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that retail prices for medicine would be significantly lower under the plan I supported because of competition.
* The President’s plans would have cut Medicare Choice funding at a time when 15,000 New Mexicans are losing their coverage and the reimbursement rates are far too low for New Mexico.
I think it’s important to give extra help to the most needy seniors. Seniors whose income is less than $11,000 a year will not have to pay the premium or a deductible. Seniors who have an income between $11,000 and $12,600 will pay less for the standard premium and deductible.
You can see that there is some cost sharing with this plan. It`s important to remember that although we can`t pay all the costs for every senior, for the first time every senior will have the opportunity to be covered by an affordable plan - no senior will have to lose everything to pay for their prescriptions. In addition, drug costs overall -- regardless of income -- will be lower because beneficiaries will receive privately negotiated drug price discounts of 25% or more. Congress already set aside $40 billion in the budget this year to pay for the plan.
Again, thank you for contacting me. I`ve included some answers to frequently asked questions about the prescription drug plan as well an article I have written about the Medicare prescription drug plan.
There`s no doubt that in the weeks ahead, you are going to see more charges and deceptive advertising. If you ever have a question about those ads, please get in touch with me. I`m proud of my record in Congress, and I`m proud that people like you are trusting me to be your advocate in Congress. Thanks again for getting in touch and giving me the chance to set the record straight.
Sincerely,
Heather Wilson
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