[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 31, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H1745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      MEDICARE DISCOUNT DRUG CARDS

  (Mr. CHOCOLA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. CHOCOLA. Mr. Speaker, during the next 3 months, Medicare 
beneficiaries will begin to see real savings on the cost of their 
prescription drugs with the help of voluntary Medicare-approved 
discount drug cards.
  Starting in April, Medicare beneficiaries will be notified by mail of 
their discount card eligibility, discount card offerings, and 
enrollment procedures. By June, all Medicare beneficiaries, except 
those who already have Medicaid drug coverage, will be able to buy a 
card for about $30 and take it to their local pharmacy and receive 10 
to 25 percent off of the regular cost of their drugs.
  People with incomes below 135 percent of poverty who sign up for the 
card will be eligible for an additional $600 of additional assistance 
per year to help further reduce the cost of their prescription drugs in 
2004 and 2005. This low-income assistance will benefit over 12,000 
Indiana Hoosiers in my district, the second district of Indiana, and 
almost 200,000 Hoosiers statewide.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud my colleagues who voted to support the 
bipartisan Medicare bill and the creation of a discount drug card 
program that will reduce the cost of prescriptions for our seniors and 
provide additional relief to low-income Medicare beneficiaries.

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