"On Nov. 14, I held town hall meetings for seniors who had questions about enrolling in the new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. The response was overwhelming as more than 800 people attended. In fact, I added an additional meeting later in the day to accommodate people who could not get a seat earlier.

"While all the participants had different prescription drug needs, they were united in their view that the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit was a bad plan that put the interests of drug companies before the needs of seniors.

"Too many seniors are confused about which of the 46 plans available in New York is right for them. Many are angry about the fact that a drug company can change a plan whenever it wants, but seniors will have to jump through multiple bureaucratic hoops to get the drugs they need when their plan is changed. And many more are concerned about the consequences down the road if their situation changes or they do not make the right choice when enrolling.

"If it were up to me, this plan never would have been allowed to go forward, but it is now the law of the land. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to fix it before it's too late. I have co-sponsored two bills that would give the seniors the same flexibility the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit provides for big drug companies. Under these pieces of legislation, seniors enrolled in a Medicare drug plan would be able to move into another plan if they are unhappy with the plan they have selected.

"These bills will also give seniors an additional two years to select a plan that's right for them. Six months is simply not enough time for people to review 46 different drug plans and navigate the complicated enrollment process or decide whether they need to enroll in the benefit at all.

"I will work with my colleagues to get this legislation passed as quickly as possible. It is about time we pass Medicare legislation that puts the interests of seniors first."