Congressional Record—House H7713
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September 18, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H7713 pointed out, this is a real problem. We to provide a prescription drug benefit lican proposal that the overwhelming are getting real people coming up to us under Medicare for our seniors. She majority of our seniors and of all on a regular basis saying that they are tells the story about her mother who Americans would be in favor of a pre- suffering. How cruel it is really for the died last November at the age of 87. As scription drug benefit under traditional Republican leadership in this House to she was going through her mother's pa- Medicare as the Democrats propose in say, well, we are going to solve their pers, she knew, of course, her mother this country. problem by throwing a few bucks at had been on prescription medicines, I Mr. PALLONE. I want to thank the the insurance industry when the insur- think, for about 20 years, the last 20 gentleman. I think we are running out ance industry is telling us that they years of her life. She was going of time. The last point the gentleman are not going to provide the benefits, through all her bills, seeing what she made is so important. I really believe anyway. had spent on medicine. She came that one of the reasons why Governor I just wondered if I could for a across a credit card bill that had a bal- Bush has proposed this scaled-down minute go back to this article in the ance owed of $6,000, and she was just prescription drug plan that really only New York Times that talked about shocked. She could not believe her addresses some of the problems for low- what had happened in Nevada. Nevada mother, as frugal as she was, would income people is because he has pro- as I said in March of this year passed a have run up a $6,000 credit card bill and posed using so much of the surplus for piece of legislation that was very simi- not taken care of it. this grandiose tax cut plan, which pri- lar to what the House Republicans had So she wrote letters to Visa. She marily benefits the wealthy and cor- proposed in terms of providing sub- found out what were all these charges. porate interests, and so he does not sidies to seniors if they could go out It turned out all of them were for pre- have enough money left to pay for a and buy an insurance policy that cov- scription medicines. Her mother had Medicare prescription drug program ered prescription drugs. It has been a been spending about $300 a month on the way the Democrats have proposed. total failure. This is a reference here in prescription medicines, and her Social And so that has actually forced him in the article. This is from July 8, New Security check just was not enough for some ways to propose this more scaled- York Times, of this year. It quotes her to get by and take care of those down version that will only help some Barbara Buckley, a State medicines. The lady wrote me, she low-income people. That is unfortu- assemblywoman who is cochair of a says, I think my mother understood nate, because if we have a surplus, and task force that monitors this potential that when she died, her home could be you and I both I know are worried program. She says that the task force sold and I could pay off that $6,000 Visa about these estimates and whether the refused to authorize the release of any bill for her. But she said my mother level of surplus that is being talked money until it could see the details of was a very proud woman. about will ever materialize, but there a drug program that met the eligibility No senior in this country should have is certainly enough that we could pro- criteria in terms of premiums, to struggle like that to pay for their vide the prescription drug program deductibles, copayment, and benefit prescription medicines. We have sen- along the lines of what the Democrats limits. Most of those details would be iors who are breaking their pills in half have proposed. I would hate to see that decided by the successful bidder. trying to take their medicine and being not happen just because of Governor The problem was that no insurance able to afford it. I have seniors that Bush's tax proposals and the tax pro- company wanted to offer a program told me at a meeting that they rou- posals that the Republicans have put that met the standards that the legis- tinely just take one every other day. A forward, which I think really do not lature set in terms of specifying what pharmacist was standing there. He help in any significant way the average the premium would be, what the copay- said, ``For some medicines, that can be American. ment would be, what drugs would be extremely dangerous for you to do I just want to say we were here again proposed. It says in the article, asked that.'' tonight as Democrats because we be- why insurers did not show any interest, I had seniors come up to me and tell lieve strongly that this is a major issue a retired Navy captain, a Mr. Fend, me that they actually have to make a that should be addressed in this Con- who serves on this task force, said, choice every month of whether to buy gress, that is, providing a prescription probably because they did not think groceries or to go fill those prescrip- drug program under Medicare. We are they could make any money. If they tions. In a country as prosperous as we going to continue to be here every thought they could make a reasonable are today and as compassionate as we week until this Congress adjourns de- amount of money, they would probably like to say we are, I believe we can do manding that this issue be addressed. buy into the program and bid on it. something about the problem of a pre- f The bottom line is, it is just a hoax. scription drug crisis for our senior citi- The Republicans here have talked zens. NIGHTSIDE CHAT about a prescription drug program that We talk about this big surplus that is The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. will not work. It is really awful to going to arrive here over the next 10 PETERSON of Pennsylvania). Under the think that they know it will not work, years. I hope it does. I am not sure it Speaker's announced policy of January it has not worked in a State where it will, but I hope it does. Some as we 6, 1999, the gentleman from Colorado was proposed, yet they keep bringing it know on the other side of the aisle (Mr. MCINNIS) is recognized for 60 min- forth as if somehow they are trying to have proposed that we cut taxes to the utes. address the problem when they are not. tune, I believe Governor Bush says, of Mr. McINNIS. Until the end of Con- Mr. TURNER. The Medicare program $1.6 trillion when we only have an esti- gress, I am going to be here to rebut probably never would have been passed mated, hoped-for $2 trillion budget sur- the gentleman from New Jersey who in 1965 if the private insurance indus- plus. But I think if we are as compas- employs the doctrine of fear. He likes try could have taken care of the health sionate as we like to say we are that to get up here in front of the micro- care needs of our seniors. That is why surely we could set aside 10 percent phone and speak to all of you and give we passed Medicare, is because private over the next 10 years of that $2 tril- these misstatements, misleading state- insurance would not work. I had a let- lion surplus and provide our senior citi- ments, inaccurate statements. Less ter from a lady who had been in an in- zens with a meaningful prescription than 5 minutes ago, I just heard the surance business 19 years. In fact, I drug benefit. gentleman from New Jersey say, and I have it here with me. It was a letter I know everybody wants tax cuts. I quote, The Republican leadership, that was actually handed to me at a know everybody enjoys getting their speaking of the gentleman from Illi- town meeting I had in Shelby County taxes lower. But the truth is there is a nois (Mr. HASTERT), the Speaker of the in my district. The lady asked me if I basic need here that should not be ig- House, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. would read this letter on the way to nored. And I think the vast majority of ARMEY), the majority leader, they used my next stop. the American people agree with that. the word ``cruel,'' they throw a few This lady writes very eloquently to That is why I think on close examina- bucks at the insurance companies. And say she had been in the insurance busi- tion of the Democratic prescription then these Democrats talk about the ness 19 years and her letter calls for us drug plan as compared to the Repub- dream team, about how everybody is H7714 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE September 18, 2000 going to be caught in this wonderful I do not know why the Democrat from enough of us on both sides of the aisle net, and all of your needs, your pre- New Jersey, instead of up here bashing are saying wait a minute, what are we scription needs, your medical needs and misleading all of you by saying doing, what are the consequences.