[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 43 (Thursday, April 6, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  PATIENT ASSISTANCE DAY: HELPING LOW INCOME AMERICANS GET THE HEALTH 
                             CARE THEY NEED

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 5, 2006

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Patient 
Assistance Day. Today, millions of Americans lack health insurance and 
cannot access medicines that they need to treat their illnesses. While 
the government looks for practical ways to help the 45 million 
uninsured citizens, there are private-sector programs in place that are 
helping millions of Americans.
  One such program is the Partnership for Prescription Assistance 
(PPA), a national clearinghouse that links uninsured and underinsured 
people to patient assistance programs that offer drugs for free or 
nearly free. America's pharmaceutical research companies, along with 
1,300 community and patient organizations, launched the PPA in April 
2005. Since then, the PPA has helped more than 1.8 million patients, 
but millions more stand to benefit.
  As the PPA commemorates its 1-year anniversary on April 5, 2006, it 
will celebrate the first annual Patient Assistance Day, which will 
include educational activities throughout the country designed to raise 
awareness of and help educate the public about patient assistance 
programs.
  This private-sector program has been successful in helping uninsured 
Americans get the medicines they need. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues 
to join me today in recognizing the work of the Partnership for 
Prescription Assistance and observing April 5th as Patient Assistance 
Day.

                          ____________________