Congressman Zach Wamp issued a statement after legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to address the unsustainable growth of the Medicare Prescription Drug Program:
“One of the major concerns I had about the Medicare prescription drug benefit when I opposed it in 2003 was that Medicare costs were already soaring. The legislation was too broad, favored the pharmaceutical companies over needy seniors and didn’t include safeguards to keep costs down. Despite these concerns, Congress ultimately expanded the program and created new benefits that have caused Medicare costs to skyrocket even further.
“House leaders recently introduced a Medicare reform bill to address the rising costs of the program, which is just a first attempt to address the problem. As this bill moves through Congress, we have an opportunity for meaningful discussion about potential reforms to help Medicare meet the needs of America’s seniors while reigning in the growth of government and the subsequent increase in the national debt. The squeeze on the entire Medicare program is underway and we have got to get it under control.”