By Tom Weber, KWMU

Washington, D.C. – Senate Republicans from Missouri and Illinois voted with the majority Tuesday on a bill that would impose the most sweeping changes to Medicare since its creation.

Jim Talent and Kit Bond of Missouri and Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois supported the bill, which includes a new prescription drug benefit.

Democrat Dick Durbin voted against it.

Talent says it keeps the faith with the senior citizens who rely on the Medicare system.

"It plugs I think the most prominent hole in Medicare because there was no prescription drug coverage as part of Medicare coverage and of course it's very common today, for very common sense reasons, that if you have insurance, that you have prescription drug coverage. It keeps people healthy, they don't have to go into the hospital," Talent said.

Opponents say senior citizens deserve better. They say the measure does nothing to reduce prescription drug prices and starts the nation down the path to privatize Medicare.

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