WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Pete Stark (D-CA, 13th), Ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, today criticized Republican public relations efforts to laud the success of their prescription drug program.

“If Republicans were serious about saving seniors and people with disabilities money on prescription drugs, they would have enabled Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices as the Veterans Administration does for those who served our military,” said Representative Stark. “Does the prescription drug program save some seniors money? Yes. But the most needy Medicare beneficiaries are paying more for their prescription drugs than they were before the law was enacted – if their medications are even covered. Millions of seniors and people with disabilities would be saving significantly more money had Republicans not given billions away to drug companies and HMOs.”

“Seniors and people with disabilities don’t need laudatory press conferences to encourage them to join a prescription drug plan. They need Republicans to take action to fix the program’s many shortcomings so that they have access to affordable medications as they have been promised,” concluded Stark.