Medicare Part D: A flashpoint in Florida GOP primary debate

The Republican presidential hopefuls clashed on this and other health policy issues.

The Associated Press/Fox News: GOP Candidates Clash Over Influence
Medicare is a testy subject in Florida, home to 3.3 million seniors. Romney charged that Gingrich lobbied lawmakers to approve legislation creating a new prescription drug benefit under Medicare. Gingrich denied lobbying, but - aware of his audience - Gingrich expressed pride in having supported Medicare Part D. "It has saved lives," Gingrich said. "It's run on a free enterprise model" (1/23).

CBS News: Republican Debate: Mitt Romney Strikes Back
[T]he Romney campaign emailed reporters news stories … documenting lawmakers saying Gingrich pressured them to vote for the program - while he was being paid by health care companies (Montopoli, 1/24).

NPR: We Watched So You Don't Have To: Top Moments Of The GOP Tampa Debate 
"If you're getting paid by health companies ... and you then meet with Republican congressmen ... you can call it whatever you like," Romney said. "I call it influence peddling" (Rosenberg, 1/23). 

The Wall Street Journal: Romney On The Attack
[T]he Medicare part D prescription drug program [passed in 2003, is] a program derided by many conservatives as government expansion but which might prove popular in Florida. Mr. Gingrich said he had "openly advocated'' for the drug program. "It is not correct to describe public citizenship, having public advocacy, as lobbying....That's my right as a citizen." (Murray, Yadron and King Jr., 1/24).

The Washington Post: Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich Clash Sharply In Republican Presidential Debate
Gingrich protested when Romney said the former speaker he had lobbied members of Congress over legislation to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. "You just jumped a long way over here, friend," he said sarcastically. "Let me be very clear, because I understand your technique . . . it's not going to work very well, because the American people see through it" (Balz and Helderman, 1/23).

Kaiser Health News: Debate: Dispute Over Gingrich's Role In Medicare Part D (video and transcript)
Health care came up in a variety of ways in Monday's debate in Tampa, sponsored by NBC, National Journal and the Tampa Bay Times. Mitt Romney accused Newt Gingrich of influence-peddling on Medicare and also defended the Massachusetts health care reform (1/24).

FactCheck/iWatch News: Flubs In Florida
Romney continued his attacks on the federal health care law, saying that the country has $15 trillion in debt and President Obama "adds another trillion on top for Obamacare and for his stimulus plan that didn't create private-sector jobs." But the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will reduce yearly deficits - by $119 billion over the 2012-2019 period - not add to them (Kiely, Jackson, Gore and Robertson, 1/24).