[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 34 (Thursday, March 16, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H1066]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRUST THE SENIORS ON MEDICARE

  (Ms. FOXX asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, today we are just 60 days away from the 
deadline for seniors to sign up for the new Medicare part D 
prescription drug plan. This plan is giving seniors choices for 
prescription drug coverage that will cost less while offering more 
benefits.
  Millions of seniors who were without access to drugs are now getting 
them, and many are saving thousands of dollars a year. In fact, the 
typical senior could see his or her total drug expenses drop by nearly 
50 percent.
  Those with limited income and resources could have nearly no expenses 
at all. It is a real shame that Democrats are trying to scare seniors 
away from enrolling in this program by saying it is complicated and 
confusing.
  Fortunately, their attempts to sabotage the program are failing. 
According to a recent article in The Washington Post, 80 percent of 
senior citizens polled say they had no trouble signing up for or using 
the Medicare prescription drug plan.
  Another poll conducted last week by Ayres, McHenry & Associates shows 
that 60 percent of seniors said that they were saving money by using 
the program. Madam Speaker, I trust the positive feedback from the 
actual folks using the program much more than the negative rhetoric of 
Democrats trying to turn this into a political issue.

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