[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 12 (Thursday, February 10, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E123-E124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  LEADERSHIP COUNCIL OF AGING ORGANIZATIONS: PRINCIPLES FOR MEDICARE 
                     PRESCRIPTION DRUG LEGISLATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of califorina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 10, 2000

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, following is a letter I submit for the Record 
that was sent to

[[Page E124]]

Members of Congress by the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations 
signed by 32 groups, on the principles that Medicare prescription drug 
legislation should meet.
  If one compares the principles with the various bills that have been 
introduced, it is clear that the President's proposal; the Stark-
Dingell-Kennedy proposal meet the criteria.
  All others bills that I am aware of do not meet the criteria--they 
are either means-tested, unaffordable, don't provide catastrophic 
protection, fail to improve quality, do not buy drugs cost-effectively, 
and so forth.
  The LCAO has performed a valuable service in laying out what good 
pharmaceutical health insurance policy should be.
  Congress should proceed accordingly.

                    Leadership Council of Aging     Organizations,


                                    Horace B. Deets, Chairman,

                                                 February 7, 2000.
     U.S. House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative: The undersigned members of the 
     Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) look forward 
     to working with the Congress on the creation of a Medicare 
     prescription drug benefit.
       As you consider current proposals and draft new 
     prescription drug proposals, we would like you to consider 
     the following issues that are of the highest priority to our 
     organizations and the millions of Americans that we 
     represent.


                                Benefits

       Medicare should guarantee access to a voluntary 
     prescription drug benefit as a part of its defined benefit 
     package.
       Medicare's prescription drug benefit should provide 
     comprehensive coverage, including the most current, 
     effective, and individually appropriate drug therapies.
       Medicare's contribution toward the cost of the prescription 
     drug benefit must keep pace with the increase in prescription 
     drug costs and not be tied to budgetary caps.
       Adding a Medicare prescription drug benefit must not reduce 
     access to other Medicare benefits.


                                Coverage

       The Medicare prescription drug benefit should be available 
     to all Medicare eligible older Americans and persons with 
     disabilities, regardless of income or health status.
       The Medicare prescription drug benefit must be voluntary 
     and must provide safeguards against the erosion of current 
     prescription drug coverage provided by others.


                             Affordability

       The financing of a new Medicare prescription drug benefit 
     should protect all beneficiaries from burdensome out-of-
     pocket expenses and affordable cost sharing. particularly 
     low-income beneficiaries.
       The new benefit must protect individuals from extraordinary 
     expenses for prescriptions drugs.
       The government subsidy must be sufficient to guard against 
     risk selection and to provide an attractive benefit design.
       Sufficient subsidies should be provided for low-income 
     beneficiaries to ensure that they have access to the benefit.


                             Administration

       The new prescription drug benefit should be efficiently 
     managed, include appropriate cost-containment, and reflect 
     the purchasing of the Medicare beneficiary pool.


                                Quality

       The new Medicare prescription drug benefit must meet 
     rigorous standards for quality of care, including appropriate 
     monitoring and quality assurance activities.
       The Medicare program should work to prevent the overuse, 
     underuse, and misuse of prescription drugs.
       We request that you carefully consider the issues presented 
     above as you develop your Medicare prescription drug 
     proposals. We look forward to working with you to ensure that 
     the Medicare program is strengthened by your efforts.
           Sincerely,
         AARP; AFSCME Retiree Program, Alzheimer's Association, 
           American Association for International Aging, American 
           Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, 
           American Federation of Teachers Program on Retirement 
           and Retirees, American Society of Consultant 
           Pharmacists, Asociacion Nacional Pro Personas Mayores, 
           Association for Gerontology and Human Development in 
           Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 
           Association of Jewish Aging Services, B'nai B'rith 
           Center for Senior Housing and Services, Eldercare 
           America, Inc., Families, USA, The Gerontological 
           Society of America, Gray Panthers, National Academy of 
           Elder Law Attorneys, National Asian Pacific Center on 
           Aging, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, 
           National Association of Foster Grandparent Program 
           Directors, National Association of Nutrition and Aging 
           Services Programs, National Association of Retired and 
           Senior Volunteer Program Directors, Inc., National 
           Association of Senior Companion Project Directors, 
           National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman 
           Programs, National Association of State Units on Aging, 
           National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc., 
           National Committee to Preserve Social Security and 
           Medicare, National Council of Senior Citizens, National 
           Council on the Aging, Inc., National Hispanic Council 
           on Aging, National Indian Council on Aging, Inc., 
           National Osteoporosis Foundation, National Senior 
           Citizen Law Center, Older Women's League