Friday, September 03, 2004
Franker/Leach Medicare Forum on CH 11
From: Franker for Congress Campaign
Franker-Leach Medicare Forum Now Airing on Kirkwood Channel 11 at 7 a.m., 12
noon and 7 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays throughout September
The recent Heritage Area Agency on Aging forum on Medicare, featuring
Democrat Dave Franker and Republican Jim Leach is now showing 3 times daily
on Kirkwood Channel 11 until the end of September at 7 a.m., 12 noon and 7
p.m., Thursdays-Sundays.
The differences between the positions of Democrat Franker and Republican
Leach couldn't be more pronounced. Dave's segment begins to play about 30
minutes into the taping (Art Small and Charles Grassley are also featured.).
Dave advocates the complete retooling of the Medicare "Modernization" Act
(MMA) to make it benefit Iowa seniors instead of giant pharmaceutical
companies.
First step: make it legal for the U.S. government, like it already does for
the VA system, to negotiate in bulk for better drug prices for America's
seniors. That would make reimportation from Canada a moot point.
The current legislation's prohibition of this, which benefits drug companies
at the expense of Iowa seniors, is the primary reason that the same drugs
are 34-59% cheaper in Canada, Mexico, France and Germany.
Meanwhile Leach, who voted for the Bush-Cheney MMA as it passed 216-215,
continued his mantra that it is good because it is voluntary and it will
help the lowest income Iowans.
Both points are technically true, but meaningless.
Voluntary? As Dave mentions on camera, so was voting in the Soviet Union! If
seniors don't sign up immediately upon eligibility, the premium goes up 1% +
interest per month. That's why there is 95% participation in Medicare Part B
-- it is similarly "voluntary." The point is, no seniors can afford to
gamble with their health and lose everything.
Help for the lowest income Iowans? The eligibility requirements mean that
Iowa seniors have to be nearly destitute in order to qualify for the benefit
that doesn't require thousands in out-of-pocket annual costs for
individuals. Those seniors are already at the mercy of governmental
intervention.
Invest in Iowa's Future - Vote Dave Franker for Congress.
- posted by John @ 11:14 PM
