Medicare Bill Greased by Corporate Dollars

Knowing the Medicare prescription drug bill would do little to reduce costs while vastly increasing profits for the health industry, conservative leaders produced a massive shell game to deceive seniors. They hid the true costs from Congress and the public beforehand. They bent the rules and strong armed lawmakers in passing the bill. And they illegally used taxpayer funds to produce misleading advertising about the legislation once passed. How did all of this get through without greater scrutiny? Money – lots of corporate dollars and high-paid lobbyists working the government for the benefit of the drug companies and HMOs.

• The health care industry spent more than $140 million on lobbying in 2003 to ensure its profits were protected in the new Medicare bill. A new report by Public Citizen shows that the drug industry alone "spent a record $108.6 million on federal lobbying activities" and "hired 830 individual lobbyists in 2003 – an all-time high. That's more than eight lobbyists for each member of the U.S. Senate." HMOs spent another $32 million on lobbying.
• Drug companies and HMO's will receive huge windfalls from the Medicare drug bill. As Public Citizen reports, the drug companies "secured a huge new market for their products and ensured that the new drug benefit will be administered by private companies," with no bargaining allowed by the federal government. The bill also provides billions to HMOs and other managed care for administering the coverage and encourages the industry "to recruit Medicare beneficiaries away from the traditional program."
• Seniors deserve better than a drug plan designed by and for the health care industry. The charges of threats, bribery, quid pro quo and deception surrounding the Medicare bill must be fully investigated. Anyone found guilty of malfeasance must be held fully accountable under law. America's seniors need to know that the government is not fleecing them in favor of corporate profits.

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