Gore Prescribes Medicare Drug Plan

W A S H I N G T O N, July 3, 2000 -- Vice President Al Gore, fresh from an attackon big oil, toughened his criticism of drug manufacturers today byblaming “price gouging” for the soaring cost of prescriptions.

At a high school in suburban St. Louis, Gore touted his plansfor a “real, comprehensive prescription drug benefit” underMedicare, a proposal that he said offered a sharp contrast with theRepublicans.

“We’ll put the power of medical science back in the medicinecabinets of our mothers and fathers,” he said. “It’s the rightthing to do.”

Gore was accompanied on the campaign swing by House Democraticleader Dick Gephardt of St. Louis, who said that prescription drugswould be a key issue not only in the presidential race but inDemocratic efforts to regain control of Congress.

“It’s a huge, huge issue,” Gephardt said. “When I go door todoor in my district, people undoubtedly bring it up.”

Gore was headed late today to San Diego where he planned to hitthe subject again before a senior citizens group.

Aiming for a ‘Sharp Contrast’The Democrat’s position “offers a sharp contrast with GovernorBush,” said Gore spokesman Chris Lehane, referring to Republicanpresidential rival George W. Bush. He said of the drug companies:“They’re close to the Republican Party.”

So far this year, Lehane said, drug makers have given theRepublicans more than $3 million compared with just over $700,000to the Democrats.

The vice president’s strategists think the prescription drugissue is a solid one for his campaign because drug costs have beenrising much faster than the overall inflation rate and the issuetouches millions of families.

The proposal Gore has offered — costing $255 billion over 10years — would offer prescription drug coverage to 40 millionpeople. His plan calls for Medicare paying for half of theprescription drug costs up to $5,000 a year.

Background documents for his proposal note that 90 percent ofMedicare recipients have less than $5,000 in annual prescriptiondrug costs, and his package limits out-of-pocket expenses forseniors to $4,000.

“Seniors shouldn’t have to sit at the kitchen table and countevery penny and every pill because they can’t afford the medicinethat protects life and health,” Gore said.

Hot Issue in Congress

The issue has been a hot one in Congress, where Republicans havesought to fashion a more limited prescription drug plan that wouldbenefit the low-income elderly. Gore aides said the issue works intheir favor, and they point to an industry-financed $2 milliontelevision ad campaign attacking Gore on the issue as evidence thatpharmaceutical firms feels threatened.

In background documents, Gore lays the blame for soaring costs“on drug company price gouging that too often causes these pricehikes.”

He is continuing his tour where he seeks credit for the nation’ssolid economic performance, but also underscoring groups he thinksare in danger of being left behind.

The background documents for Gore’s proposal also makecomparisons between drug costs in this country and elsewhere tomake their points. One example is a 30-pill bottle of prilosec, usedto treat ulcers and heartburn. In the United States, theprescription costs $99.24, compared with $49.53 in Canada and$17.14 in Mexico.

Gore also hopes to lay claim to the issue by arguing that he hasbeen waging the fight since 1978, when as a congressman he backedan investigation into drug industry price gouging and hisconsistent backing for cheaper generic drugs.