[News-releases] NOW Vows Effort to Reverse Medicare Reduction

NOW Press Office
202-628-8669 Rebecca Farmer, x 116
202-785-8576 (fax) 

NOW Vows Effort to Reverse Medicare Reduction

November 25, 2003

"Members of Congress will have a lot of explaining to do when seniors see
how expensive and inadequate the so-called drug benefit really is," said
National Organization for Women (NOW) President Kim Gandy. Gandy's comments
came in the wake of today's Senate vote approving what many call a Medicare
reduction and prescription drug industry benefit bill and predicted that
once seniors realize the effects of the legislation, they will revolt.
"Seniors will feel betrayed as private insurers and drug companies raise
their prices for health care without any oversight from congress or this
administration."

This controversial legislation, H.R. 1, the socalled Medicare Prescription
Drug and Modernization Act of 2003, narrowly passed the House 220 to 215 on
Saturday, with 16 Democrats voting for the bill and 25 Republicans voting
against. On Monday the Senate voted 70 to 29 to end a filibuster--led by
Massachusetts Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry--and failed to hold the
bill accountable to the budget agreement by a 61 to 39 vote. 

"Failure to hold the line on the filibuster paved the way for the eventual
passage of the grossly flawed bill," Gandy said, "which we will work to
reverse before its full provisions take effect in 2006." The bill was
enacted today by a 54 to 44 margin when 11 Democrats joined 43 republicans
to approve the $400 billion deal. Democratic senators voting for the bill
included John Breaux (LA), Max Baucus (MT), Thomas Carper (DE), Kent Conrad
and Byron Dorgan (both ND), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Mary Landrieu (LA),
Blanche Lincoln (Ark), Zell Miller (GA), Ben Nelson (NE) and Ron Wyden (OR). 
                                                                        
###