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December 14, 2006
SCHAKOWSKY, DURBIN JOIN SENIORS, ADVOCATES TO CALL FOR MEDICARE PRICE NEGOTIATION AND AN END
TO THE DONUT-HOLE
"IN 100 HOURS WE
WILL REQUIRE MEDICARE TO LOWER DRUG PRICES"
CHICAGO, IL-U.S. Representative
Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, seniors and people
with disabilities, and advocates, for a roundtable discussion to highlight the
need for Medicare to negotiate for lower-cost prescription drugs.
"Under the Republican-passed
Medicare Part D program, seniors are left crossing their fingers and hoping they
won't fall into the donut-hole, the gap in coverage where they keep paying
premiums and receive no benefit," said Schakowsky. "In the first 100 hours of
the new Congress, Democrats will remove the prohibition that President Bush and
the Republican Congress imposed and require that Medicare negotiate with the
prescription drug companies for lower drug prices, much as the VA does."
According to experts at the Center
for Economic and Policy Research, Medicare negotiations could save $100 billion
a year, lower prices, and produce savings to make benefit improvements - like
filling in the donut hole. This year's donut-hole coverage gap is $2850. Next
year, it will be $3,051. Unless Congress requires savings through Medicare
price negotiation to fill in the donut hole, each year senior citizens and
people with disabilities will face higher and higher drug costs.
"The law as it stands today was
written by and for the pharmaceutical companies," Schakowsky continued. "We
need a program that makes beneficiaries the top priority. All of us believe
that we need an affordable drug benefit in Medicare but all of us believe that
the Part D benefit is too complicated, too expensive, and too limited. When the
110th Congress convenes on January 4, House Democrats are going to
take action to fix the current benefit. In our '6 for 06,' 100 hour agenda, we
are going to require that Medicare negotiate for drug discounts. This is the
first, most important step in making prescription drugs affordable."
Both Durbin and Schakowsky have
proposed legislation they will re-introduce in the 110th Congress to
require that Medicare use its bargaining power to negotiate for lower-cost
drugs, and Medicare to offer a plan in each market.
"We need to enact Senator Durbin's
bill, which I have sponsored in the House along with Rep. Marion Berry, to
create an affordable drug benefit in Medicare," Schakowsky continued. "Senior
citizens and disabled people on Medicare are finding out already that there are
major changes in Part D plans from 2006 to 2007 - higher premiums, different
drugs, changes in cost-sharing. With a Medicare-administered plan, we can
provide an option that will provide security and a guarantee of coverage. "
As a Chief
Deputy Democratic Whip in the incoming Majority, Schakowsky will be responsible
for helping to ensure passage of the Democrats "6 for '06" agenda, which
includes price negotiation under Medicare.
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