[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 53 (Thursday, May 2, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING MAY AS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH

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                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 1, 2002

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, today, May 1st, marks the beginning of 
Older Americans Month. This should give us pause to focus on the status 
of our nation's seniors.
  What is the major concern facing older Americans today? It is the 
need for affordable prescription drugs. As we all know very well, the 
Medicare program does not cover outpatient prescription drugs. Women, 
in particular, are affected by this shortfall in coverage. Women live, 
on average, seven years longer than men, have earned less during their 
working lives and have half the average annual income of older men. 
This makes women vulnerable to high health care costs, including out-
of-pocket expenses and insurance deductibles as well as the price of 
prescription drugs.
  Because of their longevity, women are more likely to have chronic 
health conditions and functional limitations. Eight of ten women on 
Medicare, including those with disabilities, use prescription drugs 
regularly to manage chronic conditions and subsequently are vulnerable 
to catastrophic expenses. These women fill fewer prescriptions annually 
than those with drug coverage but spend nearly twice as much out-of-
pocket for their medications. The Congressional Budget Office reports 
that the average out-of-pocket costs for older Americans just for 
prescription drugs will be $1500 this year alone.
  This month, Connecticut seniors who are members of the Alliance for 
Retired Americans will board buses and travel to Canada in order to 
have their prescriptions filled at affordable prices. The Alliance, 
which will send its members from every state that borders Canada, 
expects to show that in just one month of short trips seniors can 
collectively save as much as one million dollars in annual prescription 
costs.
  The trips are not a solution, but they will demonstrate just how 
ludicrous it is for U.S. citizens, especially older Americans, to have 
to go to Canada to purchase lower cost medicines because of the lack of 
a prescription drug benefit within the Medicare program. We must bear 
in mind that for every person making the trip to Canada there are 
others who are far worse-off physically and who need the lower-priced 
medications even more. Unfortunately, they cannot physically board a 
bus.
  Congress must act this year to break the hold that the pharmaceutical 
industry has on the drug pricing system that forces our citizens to 
travel to Canada to purchase their prescription drugs at affordable 
prices. Congress must relieve the emotional and financial distress that 
millions of older Americans are experiencing. Mr. Speaker, the best way 
to honor older Americans is for Congress to enact a comprehensive 
Medicare prescription drug benefit this year.

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