din. us fora dazzling evening to benefit
Alyn Hospital in Jerusalem as we honor...
the administration's prescription drug
bill as primarily a difference over the
role of Medicare and the for-profit
insurance industry.
According to Levin, Democrats
wanted an expansion of Medicare,
which would have "made prescrip-
tion drugs available to every senior,
after a payment, deductible and co-
pay determined by Medicare," while
the bill provides the insurance indus-
try "a big-time subsidy" and allows
them to pool their resources in oppo-
sition to Medicare.
"The bill was aimed not at provid-
ing a Medicare benefit for a prescrip-
tion drug benefit but for privatizing
Medicare," he charged.
Levin outlined ways the bill allows
insurance companies to "jigger the
system" by setting up their own
HMOs and manipulating the co;pays
to exclude many seniors. By 2010,
the bill forceS—Medicare to compete
with private insurers who have been
given a big advantage, he says.
For more information, call Detroit Friends of Alyn Hospital at 2418-559-ALYN
or e-mail alyndetroiWyahoo,com
Same Will Be Hurt
"Two-and-a-half million seniors who
have prescription drug benefits from
their former employers will lose it;
they will be worse off," said Levin,
quoting the non-partisan Congres-
sional Budget Office, adding that
220,000 Michigan seniors will be
worse off even though seniors with-
out current benefits will benefit, but
no more than the Democratic alter-
native would have helped them.
Most of the question-and-answer
period was devoted to domestic eco-
nomic issues and Levin freely
addressed them focusing on the
record $500 billion budget deficit.
Our grandparents would never
have borrowed from us," said Levin.
"They would borrow for us, they
would have killed for us.
On the Middle East, Levin called
Israel's security fence "what any gov-
ernment would try to do to protect
itself ... they have just as much right
to protect themselves as anyone else."
Dr. Manuel B. Sheldon of
Bloomfield Township called Levin "a
straightforward, honest man. One of
),
the few we've got.
Dr. Sheldon agreed the prescrip-
tion drug bill was a problem saying,
"the competition will not exist and
we'll all be hurt by it."
His wife, Laura, also was con-
cerned about the handling of the
Iraq War. "We're in an awful state
because we've gone ahead unilateral-
ly. There is no diplomacy at all. We
just got in." El
RECANATI
AN ARTISAN WINERY
"Serious Israeli Wines for
Passover"
WINE
ENTHUSIAST
An artisan winery producing
modern, European-styled
varietal wines possessing
elegance, depth, fruit
and sophistication.
"
Located in Israel's northern
Galilee, the Recanati Winery
is a showcase winemaking
facility.. equipped with the
most innovative technology
available today.
11
...some of the best, most internationally-styled wines from the country [Israel]."
Enjoy Recanati with your family and friends this Holiday.
Kosher for Passover.
WINE ENTHUSIAST
0 An
3/26
palmbayimports.com
2004
823340
31