[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 7, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  NEW MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT PROGRAM A SUCCESS IN FLORIDA

  (Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for the very first 
time in American history, every senior will now have access to 
prescription drugs.
  In my district on the gulf coast of Florida, we have seen the huge 
success of the program, within many of the counties over 60 percent of 
the seniors signing up for the new benefit in just the first month and 
a half.
  As my constituents know very well, one of the strongest supporters of 
the new Medicare prescription drug benefit has been AARP, the leading 
advocate for seniors in America.
  Like AARP, I have long been going out into my local communities and 
encouraging seniors to sign up for one of the programs offered in their 
home area.
  Just 10 days ago, I hosted a Medicare outreach bus in Spring Hill. It 
was there that I heard from a man named Joseph Drexler, who was able to 
drastically reduce his yearly prescription drug costs. Skeptical of the 
program when he arrived, Mr. Drexler left the help station saying this 
about his CMS enrollment counselor: ``She deserves a medal or 
something.''
  Mr. Speaker, it is the experiences of men and women like Joseph 
Drexler across America that have proven the new Medicare prescription 
drug plan to be a rousing success.

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