[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 58 (Thursday, May 5, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H3046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H3046]]
                SUPPORT PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT CARDS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
bipartisan Medicare Modernization Act, which Congress passed in 
December of 2003. In particular, I would like to praise the 
prescription drug benefit that is already providing seniors with more 
affordable medication under the Medicare-approved prescription discount 
cards.
  Mr. Speaker, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare estimate that our 
seniors will save up to 60 percent off the current price of their 
prescription drugs under this new benefit. Sixty percent, that is a 
huge savings. And our seniors are already reaping the benefits of 
Medicare prescription drug coverage.
  I would like to tell you, Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues, the story 
of one such senior, a constituent of mine from Talbot County named 
Lizzie Menefee. Ms. Menefee lives in Talbot County, Georgia. She will 
be 80 this May.
  I met her at a town hall meeting I was holding on strengthening 
Social Security. Her story inspired me, and I wanted to share it with 
my colleagues here today and with seniors across our Nation.
  Ms. Lizzie, as her friends call her, has not lived an easy life, 
though you would never know it from her spirited attitude. She has a 
heart condition, she has high blood pressure, arthritis and one 
functioning kidney.
  As you might guess, her medical bills, in particular the cost of her 
monthly medications, are exorbitant. In fact, the cost of medication 
nearly bankrupted Ms. Menefee. It is easy to see why. She takes Zocor 
for her cholesterol, which is high. That medication runs $155 a month.
  Add another $140 for the purple pill, Nexium, which she takes to 
control her acid reflux and heartburn, and $20 a month for medication 
to lower her blood pressure.
  When Ms. Lizzie gets a kidney infection, and this happens often with 
her condition, she pays an additional $300 a month for antibiotics.
  Before Congress passed the Medicare Modernization Act in 2003, Ms. 
Menefee regularly spent more than $500 a month, Mr. Speaker, just on 
prescription drugs. As a senior with limited income and a widow, these 
costs were simply prohibitive. But there is good news for her and for 
all seniors out there. It comes in the form of the Medicare 
prescription drug benefit, part D, if you will.
  Last year, Ms. Lizzie signed up for the new temporary provision under 
Medicare, the discount card. She is incredibly happy with her coverage, 
and I can see why. Today this lady spends a mere $7 a month on 
prescription medication. Yes, you heard me correctly: $7 a month.
  Mr. Speaker, there are hundreds of Ms. Lizzies out there who have 
benefited from substantial savings on their prescription drugs, and 
there are millions more not yet enrolled in the program who would 
benefit from these savings as well.
  When our seniors have to choose between buying food or buying 
medicine, their health suffers. Seniors on fixed incomes cannot afford 
$500 a month in medicine; heck, most of us cannot afford $500 a month. 
Congress undoubtedly, undoubtedly, Mr. Speaker, did the right thing 
when we added prescription drug coverage under Medicare. And there is 
more we can do.
  In January 2006, the permanent Medicare drug benefit goes into 
effect. If our seniors do not know how to sign up, or if they do not 
understand the benefits that it offers, the good legislation we have 
passed will go to waste.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me and educating our seniors 
about the extensive savings available to them through the Medicare drug 
benefit and to help seniors sign up for the plan that is right for 
them. Do not let the other side poison the well and scare our seniors 
and discourage them from signing up for this great plan.
  Nothing would make me happier than to have millions of Lizzie 
Menefees across our great Nation staying healthy because we helped 
lower the prices of the drugs that they need.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Congress on the successful legislation, 
and I encourage my colleagues to educate their constituents on this 
valuable benefit.

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