Kucinich slams Medicare 'dismantling'
Originally published by Bend.com
Kucinich slams Medicare 'dismantling'
From Bend.com news sources
Posted: Thursday, April 15, 2004 8:42 AM
April 15 - Presidential candidate and Ohio Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich, campaigning in Oregon, voiced his concer Thursday his concern over the weakening of the Medicare system by the Bush administration.
"In my judgment, the so-called 'new' Medicare bill passed just before Thanksgiving 2003 was not about reforming Medicare, it was about dismantling it," says Kucinich. "It is a Republican bait and switch of historic proportions, and if it is allowed to stand, it may well result in the unraveling of Medicare itself."
With early reports estimating that Medicare would run out of funding by 2019 - add that to the federal governments recent push to privatize the Medicare system - states such as Oregon are feeling the pinch of trying to afford basic needs provided by the system.
Medicare reimbursements in Oregon have been behind the U.S. average for a number of years. This is due in part to state insurers receiving less from the federal government and charging more to the consumers. In addition, Oregon is facing a flux of HMO's leaving the state.
"(President George) Bush's new the Medicare Bill does not provide much of a drug benefit," says Congressman Kucinich. "Instead of paying a modest
co-payment for prescription drugs like most seniors were anticipating, under this bill, seniors with $5,100 of drug costs will have to pick up $3,600 of the cost themselves. And this, of course, is after and in addition to paying an average premium of $420 a year for the so-called "benefit."
"What it all adds up to is this: According to the highly respected Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, because of the bill's meager drug benefit and its failure to contain drug prices, MOST seniors will be spending MORE on drugs in 2007, when the so-called benefit is fully in effect, than they do today when there is no Medicare drug benefit at all."
Recent reports have indicated Bush's new prescription Medicare plan, touted as "the same plan, better benefits", does nothing to shore up the fragility of Medicare. According to Kucinich, the government should place limits on the price that any manufacturer can charge for prescription drugs.
"We need a new Prescription for America, a regulatory structure that puts a ceiling on drug company profits the same way credit laws establish what constitutes usury. As with utility rates, our government should be empowered to lower prices and impose windfall profits taxes to correct excess pricing," says Kucinich.
"As a Congressman, I am proud to have voted against this shameful Medicare 'reform' bill. I will continue to do everything in my power to reverse this and again make Medicare a solemn contract with America's seniors. Nor will I stop there. I will also lead the fight to make enhanced Medicare, truly comprehensive coverage, available to all Americans."
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