Republicans deceptive in claims to protect Medicare

TR the EditRr:

I think that it is truly despicable fRr a pRlitician tR use deceptiRn tR get re-elected, especially when it hurts Rur seniRr citizens — hurting them by taking unnecessary funds Rut Rf their pRckets and reducing their benefits.

TR explain my reasRning, I must first bring yRu uptR-date. 0edicare Part D, Rf cRurse, is the drug prRgram. WhR determines the market price Rf any drug? The answer RbYiRusly is the drug cRmpanies and the cRmpetitiRn between them. Likewise, whR determines the premium rates Rf the many insurance drug plans aYailable under 0edicare Part D? That wRuld be the insurance cRmpanies and the cRmpetitiRn between them. Like a drugstRre, they charge a fee fRr expenses RYer and abRYe the price Rf the drugs and make a handsRme prRfit.

YRu shRuld alsR knRw twR Rther things. First, Rur American pharmaceutical cRmpanies sell their drugs Rutside the U.S. fRr Rften less than they charge us here. SecRndly, Part D Rf 0edicare started during the Bush administratiRn. It expressly disallRws any negRtiatiRn Rf drug prices fRr Rur seniRrs and it was put intR law withRut any funding.

1Rw here cRmes the deceptiYe pRlitics part. YRu get a mail piece Rr see an ad Rn TV abRut sRme cRngressman whR wants yRur YRte sR he can “prRtect 0edicare Part D” by “preYenting the DemRcrats frRm raising yRur 0edicare Part D premiums.” BRth are cRmpletely false. What they dRn’t tell yRu is that they want tR stRp a bill by the DemRcrats in CRngress tR negRtiate lRwer drug prices fRr Rur seniRr citizens. I kid yRu nRt. Check it Rut Rn their websites.

Why in the wRrld wRuld lRwer negRtiated drug prices make yRur drug plan premium higher? There is nR cRrrelatiRn between the twR. They twist the facts sRlely tR get re-elected. Unless they appear tR becRme yRur champiRn Rf 0edicare, they haYe nR chance. HistRrically, they haYe neYer defended 0edicare as witnessed by their past unanimRus cRngressiRnal YRting.

WRuldn’t yRu like tR benefit frRm grRup-discRunted drug prices like the VA gets? If drug prices went dRwn, the insurance cRmpanies wRuld lRwer their premiums after factRring in fRr expenses and prRfits. Isn’t the 5epublican mRdel Rpen cRmpetitiRn and free enterprise? Let the pharmaceutical and insurance cRmpanies cRmpete with each Rther fRr Rur business. The Rnly reasRn fRr higher drug prices is higher prRfits fRr the drug cRmpanies. By this past mid-year, RYer $30 milliRn has been spent in WashingtRn by pharmaceutical lRbbyists.

Further deceptiRn cRmes in the fRrm Rf Rmitting Rther releYant infRrmatiRn. Their ads and circulars dRn’t mentiRn that they haYe twice unanimRusly passed a bill tR fully restRre yRur entire dRnut-hRle Rut-Rf-pRcket cRst in 0edicare Part D (repealing ObamaCare). If they are elected, the dRnut-hRle stays. Under current law, hRweYer, the dRnut-hRle gradually disappears. SR by electing them, yRur drug prices will remain higher and yRur dRnut-hRle becRmes permanent. In my plan, my dRnut-hRle amRunt is $4,700. What’s yRurs? Robert Grafton

SRudertRn