Write Congress Now! Stop Medicare Privatization; Enact A Real Prescription Drug Benefit!

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Help Preserve, Not Privatize, Medicare!
The House and the Senate have passed flawed Medicare prescription drug bills: they do not provide guaranteed affordable drug coverage; they fail to rein in prescription drug expenditures; and the benefit (if available) will be skimpy.

Background:

The bills would rely on the participation of private insurance plans, and the House bill would eventually put Medicare in the hands of unreliable private companies, driving up the premiums for those who prefer to remain in traditional fee-for-service Medicare.

The rapid growth in prescription drug expenditures, combined with modest Medicare prescription drug benefit in the legislation under consideration, create a troubling reality for Medicare beneficiaries: if prescription drug expenditures continue to increase at the pace that they have increased for the past five years, many Medicare beneficiaries will find that their out-of-pocket costs in the year 2007 are actually higher than they are today, even though they have "coverage."

Congress should consider steps to ensure that the prescription drug marketplace better serves all consumers - not only those fortunate enough to have prescription drug coverage or the means to pay the high prices charged for medicines that can save lives and dramatically improve the quality of life.

Congress must shape options this year and in future years that will allow all consumers to afford the medications that they desperately need.

Medicare News:

Congress Should Help Consumers Pay Fair Prices For Prescription Drugs

CU's Press Release On Need To Rein In Spiraling Prescription Drug Costs

CU's Testimony On The Need To Curb Prescription Drug Costs

Letter regarding why Congress should Reject Privatization of Medicare and Enact Prescription Drug Legislation that Benefits Consumers

CU Statement Expressing Disappointment with the Medicare Prescription Drug Bills

CU urges Members of the House to reject HR2473, a seriously flawed bill that would privatize Medicare

CU urged Senators to redouble their efforts to improve S. 1, to fix its many flaws.

See all Medicare files

Other Resources:

CU's report, Skimpy Benefits and Unchecked Expenditures: Medicare Prescription Drug Bills Fail to Offer Adequate Protection for Seniors and People with Disabilities describes how consumers will fare under the House and the Senate bills.