30. Amend the 2003 Medicare Reform Act

WHEREAS the 2003 Medicare Reform Act fails to provide all the drug insurance coverage needed by seniors and the disabled; and

WHEREAS the 2003 Medicare Reform Act gives enormous subsidies to the pharmaceutical industry while failing to provide full coverage to seniors and the disabled; and

WHEREAS the 2003 Medicare Reform Act is allows the drug plans to change the array of drugs they will provide weekly but recipients can only change their drug plan once a year, leaving some recipients without their needed medications; and

WHEREAS the 2003 Medicare Reform Act will not allow the drug plans to negotiate for volume discounts on behalf of their insureds as is routinely done by the Veterans Administration on behalf of their veteran recipients; and

WHEREAS substantial interest penalties are being charged to those who do not sign up for Medicare D by a certain date; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party will work to amend and/or replace the 2003 Medicare Reform Act to provide full coverage for all the medication needs of its recipients and to allow drug plans,to negotiate volume discounts for drugs with the drug companies, and to abolish penalties for late sign up for the program.