NOW Applauds Democratic Senators' Stand Against Deceptive Medicare Bill

November 24, 2003

Statement of NOW President Kim Gandy

While Republicans attempt to shove a bitter pill down the throats of seniors, NOW applauds the bold Democratic senators who have vowed to filibuster the Medicare bill. Our members especially thank Senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry for their leadership in mounting the filibuster against the ill- conceived dismantling of the Medicare entitlement. Kudos also go to Senators John Edwards and Joe Lieberman for returning to Washington from the campaign trail to oppose this legislation. Both Kerry and Lieberman will miss the Iowa debates as a result and we hope the MSNBC cameras show them on the Senate floor where they are working to protect the pocketbooks of America's seniors, not pad those of the pharmaceutical industry.

At the same time,we are extremely disappointed at reports that Senators Dianne Feinstein and Ron Wyden are supporting this bill that pits billions in profits for the industry against seniors who need a Medicare program they can count on. Senior women should not be fooled by this bill. It's a deceptive proposal that will actually cause some seniors to lose coverage and will likely result in much higher drug prices in the long run. We deserve better.

According to census data, by 2025 there will be 34,971,000 women over age 65. Surely the government can negotiate the same discount drug prices for them that they have arranged for our nation's veterans, yet this bill prohibits negotiation of discounts. How can we ask tens of millions of people over 65-- mostly living on fixed incomes--to feed the coffers of the drug and HMO industry while our government stands idly by?

Lawmakers' promise of a more generous prescription drug benefit--if only seniors would abandon the guaranteed Medicare program that has served them well for decades and move to a risky managed care private insurance plan--is not just a bad deal, but smacks of betrayal. Much of the $400 billion allocated for this bill will enrich health care and drug industry moguls and give tax rebate payoffs to employers of older workers facing retirement.

For older women, who generally use more prescription medication than men and who have less income, on average, than senior men, passage of this proposal will lead to more, not fewer, hardships.

Even more outrageous is the reduced coverage for low-income and disabled persons under new restrictions for 'dual eligibles' who have been covered by both Medicare and Medicaid. I can't imagine what lawmakers were thinking when they made these changes that will unquestionably harm our parents and grandparents.

NOW activists across the country oppose this plan which, if enacted, would begin to dismantle Medicare. We strongly support the Democratic senators who are working to halt this dangerous bill. This will be a key vote as we determine who are the real women's rights supporters in this Congress.

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