Sen. Lincoln Defends Medicare Drug Benefit Law

Senator Blanche Lincoln is defending her vote in favor of the prescription drug benefit signed into law last month. "Is this the bill I would have written as a Democrat? Absolutely not," Lincoln said to a group of seniors at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. "But I am not in charge. "What this bill does is helps the sickest and the neediest-- those who are low-income," she said. The drug benefit plans is the first major change to Medicare in 40 years. It`s expected to cost $400 million over 10 years. Lincoln voted in favor of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit which passed the house in November. Under the plan, most of the seniors will pay a monthly premium of $35 and have $250 in deductibles. Medicare would pay 75% of their drug costs, up to $2,300. Critics say the benefit will raise costs on prescription and fatten profits for drug makers. Lincoln calls the measure a "good beginning" for Medicare and say the bill was severely ammended before being signed into law.