Originally published May 16 2005
Democrats propose healthcare agenda
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
House Democrats intended to have a healthcare agenda outlined to benefit millions of low-income working parents, and people over 55. The 75 million parents would be eligible for coverage already provided to their children, while Americans over 55 would be able to purchase Medicare more affordably under a tax break. The proposal did not mention how the agenda would be paid for. As a House minority, Democrats have no hope of passing the agenda without unlikely Republican support.
House Democrats intend to outline a health care agenda Wednesday that would bring millions of low-income working parents under an existing government program while giving uninsured Americans age 55 and older the ability to buy coverage through Medicare.
Democrats also want to permit the importation of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and elsewhere, subject to safety regulations, and give Medicare authority to negotiate lower prices with drug manufacturers in this country.
According to a fact sheet prepared for distribution, Democrats also intend to offer a 50 percent tax credit to help small businesses and the self-employed afford insurance.
"Democrats are putting forward specific steps to promote fairness by improving health care," says the material, prepared by the office of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California.
Included are steps "expanding access to affordable health care coverage ...
cutting health care costs, increasing biomedical research and reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health care."
The material contained no indication of the cost of the proposals or how Pelosi and other Democratic leaders would propose paying for them.
Many Democrats advocate rolling back tax cuts that Congress has passed in recent years that benefit the wealthy and spending the money on social programs or using it to reduce the deficit.
"Currently, the only entity in this country that cannot bargain for lower group drug prices is Medicare," says the Democrats' written material.
The Bush administration and congressional Republicans declined to endorse such a proposal while drafting landmark Medicare legislation two years ago.
They have also refused to accept proposals to allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada, saying the Food and Drug Administration could not vouch for their safety.
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