Washington, D.C.- The National Gray Panthers, representing thousands of members across the country, is united in strong opposition to the prescription drug bill offered by the conference committee and will work vigorously for its defeat.

“AARP does not represent all Seniors; in fact, in the case of this Medicare reform bill, they're only representing their own corporate self-interest,” said Will Thomas, Gray Panthers Project Director.

Gray Panthers believes that good government demands compromise as to means. But that compromise must promote the common good. It's more than a compromise when one surrenders basic principles and sacrifices the fundamental promise of guaranteeing adequate, effective health care to American Seniors. This bill, then, is not a compromise, but a sellout.

This misbegotten bill is a ploy to use token support for low income seniors as bait in an insidious strategy to undermine traditional Medicare and convert it into a private industry using taxpayers’ subsidies to pay for it.

“Call it what you may, virus, poison pill, or Trojan Horse, this bill is like salmonella in your Thanksgiving turkey,” Will Thomas said.

Gray Panthers says it is clear why the Republicans are doing this: most want to privatize this model government program. As for AARP, it looks like they’re doing it for the money. One estimate shows that AARP could reap profits of over 1.5 billion dollars with their discount card and future PBM programs.

Prescription drug prices are too high. Too bad this $400 billion dollar bill does nothing about it. It won't prevent abuse of drug patents, but it will prevent the government from negotiating lower drug prices. The pharmaceutical industry might be thankful, but purchasers face a catastrophe.

Gray Panthers believes that what we need is not only more money for medicines, we need more medicines for the money.

Gray Panthers requests that all its members and allies call their representative, Republican or Democratic, and tell them AARP does not represent them and that this bill is a sellout. Don’t sell out American seniors for tokens.

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