Letter: Bradley’s policies an awful lot like Republicans’

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2000 | 9:35 a.m.

Regarding prescription drugs benefits for seniors, I consider the administration's plan as little better than nothing, but see the Republican proposal as a cruel joke! For instance, the idea of giving the tax credits to those who need help most, low-income seniors, who don't pay taxes anyway! Another idea is to give block grants to states, which may or may not have prescription drug coverage for seniors, so coverage will depend on which state one lives in. This idea is inadequate and unfair, to say the least.

However, the most noxious idea is to require seniors to take an inadequate voucher to replace Medicare in order to get prescription drugs (MSAs) while those remaining in regular Medicare do without. Let's get one thing straight -- any use of arbitrary "vouchers" is a device to cap benefits at usually inadequate levels, pure and simple!

I would be satisfied if drug companies were forced to allow generic competition and were barred from adding huge windfall profit margins to drugs sold in the U.S. while selling at near cost abroad. Both this and the generic restriction are despicable, especially when done by those who so ardently champion "free market competition."

It seems "free market" principles only apply when they benefit drug companies!

DAN OLIVIER

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