Davis Votes for a Prescription Drug Benefit that is Affordable for Seniors and Taxpayers
Votes Against Confusing Plan Which Doesn't Guarantee Benefits for Rural Seniors June 27, 2003

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis released the following statement today after voting in support of a fiscally responsible bill that would provide a guaranteed prescription drug benefit to seniors while not overburdening tax payers with an overly expensive new program:

"Seniors in Tennessee and across America desperately need assistance in paying for their prescription drugs. As a member of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition, I supported our fiscally responsible plan to provide seniors a prescription drug benefit under Medicare, provide broader, more affordable coverage in rural areas, and quickly help rural providers."

"The Blue Dog plan is a moderate, common-sense proposal that stays within our budget constraints and would not overburden taxpayers."

"It establishes a new drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries that rely on private insurance plans to offer prescription drug coverage, but it also provides a government 'fallback' option in areas where there are not at least two private plans available. It also accelerates and improves the assistance to rural providers, and includes better access to generic drugs, which means lower prices for seniors. It is wrong for people in Pall Mall to pay three dollars for a pill while people in Canada and Europe pay fifty cents. Finally, our bill allowed a way to correct this injustice and allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate discounts with drug companies to save seniors and taxpayers money."

"The confusing plan put forward by the House Republican Leadership relies on private insurance companies to provide prescription drug coverage without any fall back plan which could leave seniors, especially rural seniors, without any benefit at all. Seniors in Tennessee have already learned how private insurance companies can come and go under the TennCare plan."

"I am going to continue to work with my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives until we have provided an affordable, guaranteed prescription drug plan that protects the interests of rural seniors and providers."