Posted on 01/29/2003 1:27:56 PM PST by PhiKapMom
RNC Research Briefing
29 January 2003
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“A Market For Medical Progress Is Important. Mr. Bush Deserves Credit For Suggesting Policies That Would Preserve One, Especially Since He Will Have To Compete With The Democrats’ Demagogy About Everything Being ‘Free.’” (Robert L. Pollock, “Americans Need A Market For Medical Progress,” The Wall Street Journal, January 22, 2003)
DEMOCRATS ATTACKED PRESIDENT BUSH’S MEDICARE AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN BEFORE IT WAS RELEASED!
Even Before The President’s Medicare And Prescription Drug Plan Was Released, Democrats Attacked It As A “Reckless Gamble That Would Privatize The System . . .” (Rebecca Adams, “Medicare Prescription Benefit Just One Part Of Overhaul,” Congressional Quarterly Weekly, January 17, 2003)
Although They Had Virtually No Information About President Bush’s Plan, Democrats Immediately Started Scaring Seniors. “Democrats and their ideological allies immediately criticized the White House’s intentions. They accused Bush of coercing the elderly into managed care . . .” (Amy Goldstein, “Medicare Plan A Mystery On Hill,” The Washington Post, January 25, 2003)
Without Having Seen The President’s Medicare Proposal, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) Assailed It As An “HMO Drug Plan That Only A Big Drug Company Could Love.” A paper released by Daschle claimed the “White House is readying an HMO drug plan that only a big drug company could love” and would put seniors “at the mercy of HMOs . . . and implement ‘reforms’ that would privatize Medicare.” (Rebecca Adams, “Bush Plan Tying Medicare Drug Plan To HMOs Would Be Fought,” Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, January 24, 2003)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Admitted She Hadn’t Seen The President’s Actual Proposal, But Criticized It Anyway. “If news accounts are accurate, then the president’s proposal is a benefit for HMOs, not for seniors.” (Stephen Dinan, “Hill Democratic Leaders Launch Pre-Emptive Strike,” The Washington Times, January 28, 2003)
In June 2002, The Republican-Controlled House Passed A Prescription Drug Plan. The $350 billion plan would have allowed Medicare recipients to enroll in permanent prescription drug coverage plans. (H.R. 4954, Medicare Modernization And Prescription Drug Act Of 2002, Roll Call #282: Passed 221-208: R 212-8; D 8-199; I 1-1, June 28, 2002)
But The Democrat-Controlled Senate Failed To Deliver, Blocking Two Prescription Drug Bills With Bipartisan Support. (Motion To Waive The Budget Act Re: Amendment To S. 812, S.Amdt. 4310, Roll Call #187: Rejected 48-51: R 45-3; D 2-48; I 1-0, July 23, 2002; Motion To Waive The Budget Act Re: Amendment To S. 812, S.Amdt. 4315, Roll Call #189: Rejected 51-48: R 47-1; D 4-46; I 0-1, July 24, 2002)
Too Many Senate Democrats Are Running For President, Not Passing Health Care Reform. “[Medicare] reform will take 60 Senate votes, and too many Senate Democrats may be running for President in 2004 to allow a decent compromise this year.” (Editorial, “Doing Medicare Right,” The Wall Street Journal, January 6, 2003)
According To The American Medical Association (AMA), 12 States Face A Medical Liability Insurance Crisis And 30 More Show Problem Signs. AMA President Dr. Richard Corlin warned, “As [medical liability] insurance becomes unaffordable or unavailable and the legal system produces multimillion-dollar jury awards on a regular basis, physicians are forced to limit services, leave their practice, or relocate - all of which seriously impede patient access to high-quality health care.” (“N.J., Pa. Face Malpractice-Insurance Crisis, AMA Says,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 18, 2002)
Doctors In West Virginia Walked Off The Job In Early January To Protest Rising Malpractice Insurance Costs. In a recent Harris Interactive poll, 99 percent of West Virginia physicians surveyed believe the fear of malpractice liability is responsible for a shortage of physicians in the state. 94 percent think “the malpractice system limits the ability of doctors in their state to provide the highest quality medical care possible at least ‘somewhat,’” and 56 percent think that it limits their ability “a great deal.” (Joedy McCreary, “Poll: W.Va. Doctors Blame Malpractice Liability For Shortages,” The Associated Press, January 13, 2003; Harris Interactive Poll Of 289 West Virginia Physicians, MoE +/- 2, Conducted For The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce, October 2 Through November 6, 2002)
General Electric Workers Staged A Strike After The High Cost Of Malpractice Insurance Forced Them To Pay More For Medical Coverage. “General Electric Co. workers in Fort Wayne will take their anger about rising medical insurance costs to the street. . . . The strike had been threatened since GE notified the union of plans to raise workers’ out-of-pocket medical expenses last fall.” (Lynne McKenna Frazier, “Fort Wayne, Ind., GE Workers To Strike Against Rising Medical-Insurance Costs,” The [Fort Wayne, IN] News-Sentinel, January 8, 2003)
A 2002 Study By The Department Of Health And Human Services Shows The Need For Reform. The study describes how the broken malpractice litigation system is contributing to rising health care costs for all Americans, adding billions to Federal health care expenditures, and threatening health care access, quality, and safety. The report also highlights the necessity and proven success of the national reforms proposed by the President. (“Confronting The New Health Care Crisis: Improving Health Care Quality And Lowering Costs By Fixing Our Medical Liability System,” Department Of Health And Human Services, July 24, 2002)
Democrats In The 107th Congress Blocked Republican Legislation To Reform The Medical Liability System. Senate Democrats voted to kill an amendment that would have capped punitive damages in malpractice cases, limited attorneys’ fees and required lawsuits to be filed within two years of the discovery of an injury. (Amendment To S. 812, S.Amdt. #4326, Roll Call #197: Passed 57-42: R 6-42; D 50-0; I 1-0, July 30, 2002)
Democrat Presidential Candidate And Former Trial Lawyer John Edwards (D-NC) Leads The Fight Against Caps On Malpractice Awards. “Edwards said that . . . the federal government has no business imposing [caps] in states that don’t want them. . . . The issue poses a tricky situation for Edwards, whose political action committee has raised the majority of its money from lawyers and their family members. He is continuing to lean heavily on former colleagues as he tries to raise the $20 million or so analysts say will be needed by the end of the year to mount a credible White House bid.” (John Wagner, “Courtroom Past A Tricky Prologue For Edwards’ Run,” The [Raleigh] News And Observer, January 15, 2003)
Democrats Receive Millions Of Dollars In Campaign Contributions From Trial Lawyers And The Association Of Trial Lawyers Of America (ATLA). (Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed January 15, 2003)
Medical Economics’ Writer Wayne Guglielmo Predicted Democrats Will Continue To Side With The Trial Lawyers And Against Working Americans. “[E]ven sympathetic Democrats may not be eager to displease one of their most powerful and generous constituencies--the trial lawyers.” (Wayne J. Guglielmo, “What’s The Washington Outlook Now?” Medical Economics, December 9, 2002)
This is what the President what talking about last night when he referred to Congress and others as having these plans as they have the same health benefits Civil Service does is my understanding.
Just as Ted Kennedy--although he was passed out during the State of the Union speech--said the president hadn't made the case.
I faxed our two senators and congressman today regarding Democrat obstructionism:
Democrats put partisan power before America's security and prosperity--eager to sabotage both to attain their ends.
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