Date: 2006-03-30
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. the countdown to the Bush drug tax. 44 days before May 15. Last week. during the break. I held six town hall meetings throughout my aistrict on th new Medicare Part D prescription drug program. And I would encourage all of my colleagues to do the same. Not only did it give my constituents a chance to get the help that they needed and answered their questions. it gave me an opportunity to really find out how the new program is working or. sh6uld I say. not working. Unfortunately. I heard a lot of horror stories from a lot of people. Not only is picking a plan extremely complicated. but the arbitrary date of May 15 makes absolutely no sense. I have been an elected official for over 25 years. And this is the first time I have seen people who are going to be penalized for the rest of their lives if they do not sign up by a certain date. May 15. Not only having them to set a ridiculous short time to sign up for this complicated plan. but the next time seniors �can sign up will be November 15 through December 31. that includes both Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. So it is very complicated for seniors. The Republican leadership wrote a bill that prevents the Secretary of Health and Human Services from negotiating the price of the drug. even though both the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of DOT are negotiating these prices right now. � Can you imagine what would happen if WalMart. if we told WalMart they could not get a reduotioh price on bulk buying? Every Republican in this House would be on this floor screaming bloody murder. But when it is the needs of our seniors. there is a deaf ear. you do not hear them. This bill allows the private plans to take drugs off of their approved lists and even charge .more for drugs during that year. They can charge more. while seniors are locked- in and cannot change plans until the next year. It also turns seniors into criminals. Yes. criminals. What do I mean? If they buy drugs that are cheaper. let us say in .Mexico or- Canada. they will be criminals. And one of the most troubling aspects of this bill. and the one that most people talk ab6ut is the doughnut. What do you mean doughnut? Well. no coverage is provided after you spend $2.250 until your cost reaches $5.001. That is $3.000 outofpocket. Lastly. I want to talk about the independent pharmacists. This bill is killing your small town pharmacists who have been in business for years. They still know their customers by name. They are the only pharmacists who are still delivering medicine to seniors who cannot come out of the house or after hours when someone needs an emergency prescription. This Congress needs to do the right thing for our parents and grandparents and extend this silly deadline date of May 15. allow the Secretary to negotiate bulk prices. and should make the appropriate changes that will save Americas local pharmacies from extinction. Again. I encourage my colleaghes to hold their meetings and talk to their seniors and pharmacies about the drug plan. And seniors. for Gods sake. please look at this: May 15. you need to sign.up. But if you have questions. call Medicare counselors at 1800Medicare. that is. 18006334227. That Is May 15. That is the dropdead date. Thank you.