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Feinstein Defects
Just as she did during the run-up to the Senate's vote on Iraq, Senator Diane Feinstein is ignoring her constituents and going her own way - supporting the Republican written and backed Medical Reform Bill before the Senate today.
Source: AP, 2003-11-23
Candidate: Diane
By DAVID ESPO, AP
WASHINGTON (Nov. 23) - The Republican-controlled Senate pointed toward a showdown Sunday on a sweeping Medicare prescription drug bill that sparked a defiant last stand by outnumbered critics and beckoned Democratic presidential hopefuls to the Capitol to join the fight.
Sen. Edward Kennedy says he and other lawmakers will try defeating the Medicare plan with a filibuster.
Despite the strenuous opposition, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein became the seventh Democrat to announce her intention to vote in favor of the measure. She said she would do so "not because it's perfect, but because I believe it brings substantial help to people who need that help."
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., led a filibuster against the legislation, arguing it would lead toward privatization of Medicare and warning that if they were successful, Republicans would soon be back for more. "Social Security is next. Medicare is now," he said.
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, quickly disputed that, adding that opponents were playing politics and would regret it. He accused Democrats of blocking a prescription drug bill two years ago, saying they had "wanted an issue" to take into the 2002 election. "They got a defeat at the polls" instead, he said.
The legislation would create a prescription drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries for the first time since the giant health care program for seniors was created in 1965, with subsidies to help lower-income seniors pay the premiums and other costs.
Additionally, it would establish a new, expanded opportunity for insurance companies to offer private coverage for seniors - a plan viewed with favor by conservatives and with suspicions by many Democrats.
The measure cleared the House near sunup Saturday after a roll call that consumed nearly three hours rather than the allotted 15 minutes. The final vote was 220-215, largely along party lines. Senate approval would send the measure to the White House, where President Bush is eager to sign it.
Senate Majority Leader Dr. Bill Frist set the first in an expected series of test votes for Monday, and officials on both sides of the issue said supporters were likely to gain the 60 votes needed to prevail. "There is no way they're going to be able to uphold any sort of blocking maneuvers," the Tennessee Republican said of the measure's opponents.
The bill commands the support of over 50 senators, and several more, including Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., are expected to oppose the filibuster.
At the same time, Daschle pledged to extend the struggle, and aides said he would join efforts to derail the legislation on other procedural grounds. In a sharply worded speech, Daschle described the bill as a windfall for drug companies. The industry "got almost everything they wanted," he said, including a prohibition on the government negotiating for lower drug prices for seniors.
The Senate's session was less a debate than a series of speeches by senators who support and oppose the bill, enlivened by the maneuvering of three Democratic presidential hopefuls to inject themselves into the clash.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., who announced Saturday that he would return to Washington to join the filibuster, waited in the Capitol until his turn came to speak.
Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., flew to Washington during the day, then headed for the Senate chamber so he, too, could underscore his opposition.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., announced his opposition to the bill, becoming the last of the presidential contenders in Congress to take a position. "As much as I want to give seniors a prescription drug benefit, they shouldn't have to swallow the many harmful poison pills that Republicans loaded into this bill just to get there," he said.
Two other Democratic contenders, Reps. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Dick Gephardt of Missouri, voted against the bill in the House.
Among the other contenders, Howard Dean and Wesley Clark both oppose the measure.
The far-reaching bill also would increase Medicare funding for doctors, hospitals and other health care providers, particularly in rural areas, where reimbursement levels are far below what is paid in other regions of the country. Additionally, the bill provides billions of dollars to companies to encourage them to retain the health coverage they provide their retirees.
For the first time, higher-earning seniors would be required to pay more for their Medicare Part B premiums than other beneficiaries. This requirement is the basis for Kennedy's concern that the bill spells the end to both Medicare and Social Security, as neither program is "means-tested" - all qualified recipients receive the program regardless of need.
The measure also retains the current ban on the importation of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, and establishes tax-preferred health savings accounts for individuals with high-deductible insurance coverage. The tax-preferred accounts are a favorite of Republican lawmakers as they are another tax shelter for higher income people who can afford to put aside money in advance for the accounts.
The most contentious provision would take effect in 2010, when direct competition between traditional Medicare and the private plans starts in up to six metropolitan areas. Supporters argue that would help reduce the cost of Medicare in the long run, while opponents attack it as the leading edge of an effort by Republicans to privatize Medicare.
Many areas of the country are not serviced by HMOs. Medicare, a non-profit government program, is the only choice for seniors and the disabled in these areas.
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User Originated Comments:
From: Robbie
1999-11-30 00:00:00
that's the end. feinstein is a republican. how
did they let her into the democratic party?
From: Jane H a senior citizen
1999-11-30 00:00:00
it is discusting sen feinstein would vote for this
medicare bill i can't believe she will be voted in
again
From:
1999-11-30 00:00:00
more and more screwed every day. i used to split
my vote...not anymore.
all republicans
must be voted out! democrats can be next.
From:
1999-11-30 00:00:00
medicare may be destroyed today. please call the
numbers in the post directly below this one as
soon as you can and tell the senators to
filibuster - not compromise.
among the
major transgressions of the bill being voted on
today:
there is a cap at 2,500 of drug
expenses, of which 1500 would be covered
(there’s a $250 deductible and 75% coverage of
the remainder). after the $2,500 is reached, the
insured continues to pay the $35 monthly fee, but
will not be reimbursed for anymore drug expenses
until they total $3,600 drug bills ($1,100 dollars
later, if you take into account the deductible and
25% out of pocket, the elderly will have paid
$1,850, above and beyond the monthly premiums,
which are currently noted at $35 monthly but are
not fixed amounts and they will increase. while
this 2500 cap would be waived for those seniors
making less than $12,123 annually ($16,362 for
couples), the poverty level by which that amount
is determined is not a fixed amount and further,
is ultimately determined dependent on who is in
office, not by those who are living in
poverty.
medicare would be prohibited
from negotiating volume discounts such as those
available under the va system and
medicaid.
the bill would effectively
ban drug imports from canada
the bill
actually reduces benefits for medicaid and those
with private retiree coverage.
the bill
includes a “privatization demonstration
project:” 6 currently unrevealed metro areas
will be experimented with for privatization. the
government will subsidize private insurers (which
would typically attract only the very healthy and
wealthy elderly) in those cities. if the
government spends less on the private insurers,
premiums for those under the traditional medicare
program will be increased.
the bill
includes a “premium support provision:” this
provision is related to the privatization project
noted above, under this provision medicare would
be turned into a voucher program by
2010.
the bill’s most ardent
supporter is bill frist, r. tennessee. frist and
his family are well connected with the hmo
industry and stand to make millions off of this
legislation. first has acknowledged, in a now out
of publication book he wrote, to lying to pet
adoption centers so he could ‘adopt’ cats to
use in his own medical experiments while he was
going to medical school (google it i don’t have
time to look up the links); acknowledges not
registering to vote until he was 36 years old; is
being groomed as a possible candidate for
vp.
re aarp support for the bill: among
other things, it’s expected to increase aarp
future royalty income by at least $20 million
annually.
please see the senator phone
numbers to call now in the post below this
one.
From: CALL BEFORE IT\'S TOO LATE
1999-11-30 00:00:00
please call congress. medicare is about to be
destroyed today contact senators this minute, see
list below and preferably make phone calls vs
e-mailing. you can try 1-800-511-3802 vs. the
numbers below if you don’t have a good long
distance plan.
contacting any or all of
the parties below may be as important as
contacting your state senators, since those listed
below may determine the outcome.
these
two are the democrat leaders in the senate we need
to demand they filibuster:
ted daschle,
senate minority leader, north dakota
(202)
224-2321 web form:
daschle.senate.gov/webform.html
harry reid,
senate minority whip, nevada
(202) 224-3542
web form: reid.senate.gov/email_form.cfm
three democrats unjustly supporting the
bill:
dianne feinstein, california,
(202) 224-3841 web form:
feinstein.senate.gov/email.html
john breaux,
louisiana and
(202) 224-4623 e-mail:
senator@breaux.senate.gov
max baucus,
montana
(202) 224-2651 web form:
baucus.senate.gov/emailmax.html
ron
wyden, of oregon
(202) 224-5244 web form:
wyden.senate.gov/contact.html
democrats
noted as considering signing it:
barbara
boxer
(202) 224-3553 web form:
boxer.senate.gov/contact
ben nelson,
nebraska,
(202) 224-6551 web form:
bennelson.senate.gov/email.html
blanche
lincoln, arkansas and
(202) 224-4843 web
form: lincoln.senate.gov/webform.html
mary
landrieu, louisiana. democrats
(202)
224-5824 web form:
landrieu.senate.gov/webform.html
if
possible express your encouragement to edward
kennedy for his support of the filibuster to keep
his determination up: (202) 224-4543 e-mail:
senator@kennedy.senate.gov
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