[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 74 (Wednesday, June 14, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H4480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, on April 12, I led an hour of debate on 
the topic of prescription drug coverage for senior citizens. I read 
three letters from around the state from seniors who shared their 
personal stories. On the 12th, I made a commitment to continue to read 
a different letter every week until the House enacts reform. This is 
the seventh week in a row that Congress has been in session in which I 
have returned to the House floor to read another letter from a Michigan 
senior citizen. This week, I will read a letter from Edith DeYoung of 
Spring Lake, Michigan.
  Before I read Ms. DeYoung's letter, I would like to share some 
troubling statistics released just yesterday in President Clinton's 
report entitled, ``Prescription Drug Coverage and the Rural Medicare 
Beneficiaries: A Critical Unmet Need.''
  Although Ms. DeYoung is fortunate to live next to a larger city in 
Michigan, Muskegon, there are many rural communities in our state, 
particularly in the Upper Peninsula that have unique health care needs. 
As a member of the Rural Health Care Caucus in the House of 
Representatives, I have been working to ensure that those needs are 
understood and met.
  The President's report documents that seniors living in rural America 
face real challenges in accessing health services, especially 
prescription drugs.
  Senior citizens who live in rural communities represent almost 25 
percent of all Medicare beneficiaries, tend to have a greater need for 
prescription drug coverage, but have fewer coverage options. Their 
incomes are lower, access to pharmacies more limited, and out-of-pocket 
spending higher.
  According to the President's report, rural beneficiaries are over 60 
percent more likely to fail to get needed prescription drugs due to 
cost. A greater proportion of rural elderly spend a large percent of 
their income on prescription drugs. In fact, rural senior citizens pay 
over 25 percent more in out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs 
than urban senior citizens. Finally, rural senior citizens on Medicare 
are 50 percent less likely to have any prescription drug coverage.
  I would like to take this opportunity to highlight an important 
provision in the Democratic prescription drug proposal that does not 
get as much attention as some of the other important provisions that 
offer coverage for Medicare seniors. The Democratic plan includes 
assurance that resident in rural communities will have full access to 
all prescription drug benefits.
  Now, I will read the letter from Edith DeYoung. ``I'm writing this 
letter to you concerning medical prescriptions for people who have 
reached 65 years of age. I was getting Medicaid but now that I've 
reached the Golden Years, age 65, I can't get help from Medicaid and 
Medicare does not cover prescriptions. I get $915 a month on Social 
Security. I would like to know how you can pay rent, lights, and, oh 
yes, groceries, and still have to pay $437 on a spend-down for medicine 
that leaves me $478 a month to pay all the above and live on. I am 
sending you a copy of the prescriptions I get every year. I sure can't 
afford any other insurance. So please, help the bill pass and help us 
that are 65 and need it really bad. As a senior citizen, I would like 
to hear back from your office. Sincerely, Edith DeYoung.''
  The time is now to enact real prescription drug legislation that 
includes a prescription drug benefit in Medicare.
  Proposals have been offered by the other party that would essentially 
offer a subsidy for a private insurance plan--that may or may not be 
available to all senior citizens. I am especially worried about seniors 
living in rural communities. And, as Edith DeYoung said, herself, she 
can't afford additional insurance. The Democratic plan, on the other 
hand, would provide her with the real help she needs. The Democratic 
plan would create a Medicare benefit that, because of Ms. DeYoung's 
income level, would cover all of her prescription drug costs.

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