Sample Letter to Your Representative on Medicare

Copy the text below and let your representative know that Al Gore’s Empty Promises Aren’t the Prescription America’s Seniors Need.

Dear Congressman XXX,

As a member of Citizens for a Sound Economy and one of your constituents, I applaud you for your vote on June 28, 2000 in favor of Medicare reform that would provide more choice and competition in health care and prescription drug coverage to America’s seniors. When House Democrats turned their back and walked out on America’s seniors by rejecting the plan that would provide choice and solid financial footing, you remained firm in your support, and I thank you.

I hope that you will remain strong and continue to protect seniors by opposing any effort to add a costly new prescription drug mandate onto the current Medicare program. I fear that Medicare is already in such a poor state that another “benefit” without overall reform would be an unmanageable addition that would threaten the entire program.

It should be no surprise Medicare and prescription drugs have become a focal point of debate in this election. For eight years seniors have waited for leadership from the Clinton- Gore administration to solve America’s Medicare crisis. The White House has not led, and worse, rejected bipartisan efforts to strengthen Medicare and provide prescription drug coverage options for seniors. Now, Vice President Gore is playing politics and pushing a dangerous plan that promises more than it provides.

Seniors under Vice President Gore’s plan will pay more in additional premiums and 50% co-payments for less prescription drug coverage. This is even more troubling given the negative effects of such nationalization. Mr. Gore’s plan is an unprecedented attempt to have government bureaucrats set the price on drugs and will limit access to medicines and handicap innovation. Finally, Mr. Gore’s plan will leave a broken, wasteful and bureaucratic system in place, rather than strengthen Medicare. I urge you not to fall prey to the politics of this plan.

Vice President Gore may think he has a good issue, but he sure doesn’t have a good plan. Vice President Gore’s empty promises are not the prescription our seniors need. We need fundamental Medicare reform, with more choices and competition.

Sincerely,