MEMO: Senator Stevens Record On Health CareMEMORANDUM TO: Reporters; interested parties When it comes to health care, Senator Stevens’ record needs a check up. He’s out of touch with Alaskans when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid. Instead, he votes on behalf of industry, leaving consumers behind. Just last week, Stevens voted against the National Defense Authorization Bill which would have authorized $26.1 billion for the Defense Health Program, which includes $1.2 billion to reverse the Bush administration’s proposal to raise fees on troops and their families. [Senate Armed Services Committee Press Release, 5/1/08]
Even national health and children’s groups have caught on to Stevens – he consistently receives failing grades from groups. From 2001 through 2006, Stevens received an average score of 6 percent from the National Breast Cancer Coalition. From 1996 through 2006, Stevens received an average score of 17 percent from the American Public Health Association. Finally, from 1996 through 2006, Stevens received an average score of 21 percent from the Children’s Defense Fund. [Project Vote Smart Web Site, "Interest Group Ratings," www.vote-smart.org]
Stevens’ Bad Votes On Medicare And Medicaid
Stevens Used Influence To Make Supporter’s Expensive And Questionable Technology Part Of Medicare. In 2004, Stevens pushed for the PET scan technology, invented by a long time contributor, Michael Phelps, to be part of Medicare. Despite the PET being initially rejected by the Alzheimer’s Association and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for ineffectiveness at detecting tumors and Alzheimer’s under certain circumstances, Stevens personally pushed the legislation to Secretary of Health Tommy Thompson. Phelps has contributed $3,500 to Ted Stevens since 1990. [Donor Lookup, FECInfo Web Site, www.tray.com; A Tale Of Politics: PET Scans' Change In Medicare Coverage, The Washington Post, 10/14/04]
Stevens Voted For Convoluted And Inadequate Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. On November 5, 2003, Stevens voted for the Bush-backed Medicare prescription drug plan that was implemented in 2006. It was strongly criticized by seniors and pharmacists because it was overly complicated, difficult to implement, created long lines at pharmacies and led to some seniors being denied important medications. Pharmacists from Texas met with presidential advisor Karl Rove to express concerns that pharmacists were losing money due to inadequate reimbursement and the confusing nature of the plan was forcing them to spend more time dealing with administrative tasks and explaining the coverage to seniors. [The New York Times, "Pharmacists Say Drug Plan Threatens Their Livelihood," 3/13/06; The New York Times, "Bush Admits Rocky Start to Drug Plan," 3/15/06; USA Today, "Medicare Drug Benefit Costly for Some Poor," 1/13/06]
Stevens’ Support For Medicare Prescription Plan Led To Denied Seniors And More Than 20 States Authorizing Expensive Emergency Payments. As a result of Medicare recipients having difficulty obtaining necessary medications through Medicare Plan D, more than 20 states authorized emergency payments to pay for prescriptions that had previously been covered by Medicare but were being denied under Medicare Plan D. [Time, "Take Two Aspirin and Read This Now," 1/30/06; Philadelphia Inquirer, "Rendell Tells Druggists: Bill the State," 1/17/06]
Stevens Voted Against Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. On July 31, 2002, Stevens voted against an amendment that would have provided prescription drug coverage for Medicare recipients with incomes of up to 200 percent of the poverty level. It also would have provided catastrophic coverage for drug costs over $3,300 per year for an annual payment of $25 per year. All recipients would have been eligible for a discount of 5 percent of more on prescription drugs. The amendment failed 49-50. [Roll Call 199, S.AMDT 4345, July 31, 2002]
Stevens Opposed Requiring States To Ensure The Federal Government That Their Medicaid Reimbursement Rates Were Sufficient To Ensure Access To Quality Services. On June 25, 1997, Stevens voted against an amendment requiring the States to provide assurances to the Federal Government that their Medicaid reimbursement rates for hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical care facilities were “actuarially sufficient to ensure access to and quality of services.” Under current law (known as the Boren amendment), states are required to have Medicaid reimbursement rates for hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical care facilities that are “reasonable and adequate” to meet the cost of operating the facilities. In lieu of the Boren amendment, the bill required States to have public processes for determining reimbursement rates, which will include opportunities for review and comment. [Roll Call 125, S.Amdt. 488, 6/25/97]
Stevens Voted To Raise Medicare Eligibility Age. On June 24, 1997, Stevens voted for a motion to raise the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67. [Roll Call 112, S.947, 6/24/97]
Stevens Voted To Force People Out Of Medicare. On June 24, 1997, Stevens voted to kill a Kennedy (D-MA) amendment that would have stopped means testing of Medicare part B premiums. Means testing would endanger the entire Medicare system, since the increase in fees would cause those who contribute the most to leave the Medicare system. [Roll Call 113, S.AMDT 440, 6/24/97]
Stevens Voted Against Funding For Payments To Hospitals Under Medicare. On October 27, 1995, Stevens voted against an amendment that would have restored $14.5 billion in funding for payments to hospitals under Medicare. [Roll Call 524, S.AMDT 2985, 10/27/95]
Stevens Voted Against Earnings Being Used To Reduce Cuts To Medicaid And Medicare. On October 27, 1995, Stevens voted for a motion to kill an amendment that would have eliminated tax breaks for those earning more than $1 million per year and used the savings to reduce cuts in Medicaid and Medicare. [Roll Call 529, S.AMDT 3007, 10/27/95]
Stevens Voted Against Restoring Medicaid Benefits For Pregnant Women And Children. On October 27, 1995, Stevens voted for a motion to kill a motion that would have increased tax collections $51 billion by reducing revenue reductions for “upper income taxpayers” and spending the money by restoring Medicaid benefits for pregnant women and children and by including prenatal care and delivery services for pregnant women. [Roll Call 532, S.AMDT 1357, 10/27/95]
Stevens Voted To The Government Maintaining A Role In Providing Medical Care To Poor, Sick And Elderly. On October 26, 1995, Stevens voted to reduce Medicaid expenditures and against the Federal government maintaining a role in providing medical care to the poor, sick and elderly. [Roll Call 502, S.AMDT 1357, 10/26/95]
Stevens Voted Against Reducing Cuts To Medicare And Medicaid. On May 22, 1995 Stevens voted against an amendment to reduce by $100 billion the cuts to Medicare and Medicaid by reducing tax cuts. [Roll Call 173, S.AMDT 1112, 5/22/95] On October 26, 1995, Stevens again voted against an amendment to reduce cuts to Medicare by $181 billion by reducing tax cuts on upper income taxpayers. [Roll Call 499, S.AMDT 1357, 11/26/95]
Stevens’ Votes To Support Industry, Not Consumers
Stevens Voted Against Affordable Prescription Drugs. On June 20, 2003, Stevens voted against a Dorgan (D-ND) amendment that would authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to create regulations allowing pharmacists and wholesalers to import prescription drugs from Canada. This would only be allowed if doing so would present no risk to general public safety and would result in reduced prescription drug costs for the consumer. The amendment passed 62-28, with 20 Republicans voting for it. It was signed into law on December 12, 2003. [Roll Call 232, S.AMDT 946, June 20, 2003]
Stevens Opposed Forcing Pharmaceutical Companies To Provide Affordable Drug Prices. On July 18, 2002, Stevens voted against an amendment that would have allowed states to develop programs that could have forced pharmaceutical companies to discount drug prices. [Roll Call 182, S.AMDT 4305, 7/18/02] |
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