Letter: Drug companies now control Congress

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006 | 8:34 a.m.

The Republicans in Congress have lost the cornerstones of the Grand Old Party. The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 illustrates the problem. How does the GOP square the following with their beliefs?

Cornerstone: All business shall play on a level playing field.

Yet in the Medicare bill, the GOP Congress forbade Medicare to go out for bid on drugs. This action gave drug companies no reason to sharpen their pencil, thus costing taxpayers billions.

Cornerstone: No business should be given special favors.

Yet the GOP Congress, using taxpayer funds, gave all HMOs, including those for profit, at least a 13 percent bonus. What this means is that a procedure paid for by Medicare will cost more than that provided by an HMO.

Cornerstone: The Republicans have always maintained that the individual should be able to make decisions that affect the individual's assets.

In the Medicare Modernization bill, however, the individual is prohibited from purchasing any out-of-pocket insurance to help reduce the cost of drugs. Medicare Part B allowed a person to purchase insurance to help pay for the portion Medicare does not pay for.

The drug companies now control Congress. We must rethink our choices in the 2006 election.

Lou deBottari

Carson City