DRUG BILLS Medicare prescription law hurts seniors, Ryan says
The 17th District representative voted against the prescription drug plan.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CHAMPION -- The new Medicare prescription drug law is a flawed attempt to reward political donors and enrich drug companies, not help seniors, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan told a group of senior citizens at a forum at Kent State University Trumbull Campus.
Without mentioning any candidate by name, Ryan, D-17th, encouraged the 40 or so senior citizens at the town hall meeting to mobilize friends and relatives to vote against President Bush in the upcoming presidential election.
"There has never been more of a clear difference between two candidates on issues," said Ryan, of Niles. He said he thinks: "One is for dismantling Medicare, dismantling Social Security, dismantling the government. ... Then there is a philosophy that says we have to invest in our people, invest in our seniors."
Ryan's comments came after the screening of a 12-minute video, featuring retired television news anchor Walter Cronkite, explaining the benefits and shortfalls of the prescription drug law passed with presidential support in December.
What's in video
The video, which described a program that would call on participants to pay a $420 annual premium and still potentially leave them holding the bag for thousands of dollars of drug bills, had audience members groaning with outrage.
The video also quoted sources critical of provisions blocking individuals from buying drugs from Canada and preventing the government from negotiating for lower drug prices.
"This bill helps the pharmaceutical companies, this bill helps the HMOs and insurance companies," said Max Richtman, executive vice president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, who spoke after the video. "They are the real beneficiaries of this bill."
Ryan said he opposed the law.
"If I hadn't, you would have probably lynched me," he said.
During a question-and-answer period, audience members echoed the speakers' disappointment.
"What I can't understand is that they are spending billions of dollars to help all those other countries, and they don't have any money for seniors," said Herman Ghizzoni, a World War II veteran from Hubbard.