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Open Letter to Retirees
Monday, March 17, 2008
(Alliance for Retired Americans)An Open Letter to Retirees:
I often find
myself wondering, “who does our government
really work for?” I felt this way when
I heard that the Bush administration wants to
cut $178 billion from Medicare. This
targets the most vulnerable – seniors who
need Medicare to afford to see a doctor – in
favor of sustaining the record profits enjoyed
by big drug and insurance companies. Only
in Washington could this be the work of a
“compassionate conservative.”
The
Bush administration continues to stand by its
subsidies to large insurance companies –
estimated to be $150 billion over the next ten
years – to operate privatized Medicare
Advantage plans, at a cost between 12 and 19
percent higher than if Medicare directly served
these same people. And on top of this,
the White House says it would veto a bill in
Congress to end the ban on Medicare negotiating
bulk discounts from drug
manufacturers.
The pharmaceutical
industry’s main trade group spent over $22
million on Washington lobbyists in 2007, a 25
percent increase over 2006. At the same
time, prescription prices rose eight percent,
twice the rate of inflation. The
newspaper article I read said the increases
were aimed at driving drug prices higher before
Congress could pass any Medicare
reforms.
What all of these stories have
in common is how terribly important 2008 is for
us. As these issues are debated
throughout the year, we must pay close
attention. We must know the issues, and
know where the candidates stand.
Our
generation’s working days may be over, but
our fighting spirit remains as strong as
ever. We face great challenges as we try
to reform health care and retirement security,
but I believe this is a fight we can – and
must – win.
George J.
Kourpias
President
Alliance for Retired
Americans
www.retiredamericans.org
1-800-333-7212
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