[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18633]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, on April 12, I led an hour of debate on 
the topic of prescription drug coverage for senior citizens. I read 
three letters from around the state from seniors who shared their 
personal stories. On the 12th, I made a commitment to continue to read 
a different letter every week until the House enacts reform. That was 
five months ago. Although the House passed a prescription drug bill 
this summer, I believe it will not help most seniors. So, I will 
continue to submit letters until Congress enacts a real Medicare 
prescription drug benefit. This week, I will submit a letter from 
Virginia Langell of Chippewa Lake, Michigan.
  At most, there are only three weeks left for Congress to enact a 
meaningful prescription drug benefit. It is critical that we do so 
before Congress adjourns.
  This week, Newsweek magazine has devoted its cover story to the issue 
of prescription drugs. It is the same story that I have been sharing on 
the House floor since April. Seniors are paying too much for their 
prescription drugs.
  According to Newsweek, the cost of prescription drugs is rising at an 
alarming rate, at least twice as fast as the rate of inflation. As a 
result of these increases, pharmaceutical companies are the most 
profitable in the nation, with an 18.6 percent profit margin in 1999.
  The issue of Newsweek also clarifies that the most visible and 
loudest opponent of creating a Medical prescription drug benefit, the 
``Citizens for Better Medicare,'' a so-called grass-roots organization, 
is funded primarily by the pharmaceutical industry. In fact, the 
industry has spent an estimated $65 million on television advertising 
to persuade senior citizens that a prescription drug benefit is not in 
their best interest.
  Well, I disagree. I have met with too many seniors, read too many 
letters, visited with too many families in Michigan who are struggling 
to buy the prescriptions they need. Too many are forced to make a 
decision between their prescription medication or buying food or 
heating their homes. We cannot and should not wait one more day. 
Congress must enact a voluntary, defined Medicare prescription drug 
benefit plan.
  Following is a letter from Virginia Langell.

       Dear Congresswoman Debbie Stabenow: here are my receipts 
     for 1998. Also, I would like to have you take a look at these 
     two drugs that jumped up in the past few months:
       Furosemide: [from] $7.59 [to] $8.79--a jump of $1.20
       Adalat: [from] $73.99 [to] $82.99--a jump of $9.00
       The prices are ridiculous. It's about time something is 
     done for the seniors.
       I live on Social Security. I get $735.00 a month. I have 5 
     prescriptions filled every month, also eye drop prescriptions 
     every two or three months.
       It costs me $135.00 to $150.00 every month just for drug 
     prescriptions. I would like to see the law makers in 
     Washington live on this kind of income. I have no co-pay for 
     drug prescriptions and also there are the ``over-the-
     counter[s]'' like aspirin, Ben Gay, etc.
       I hope you can fight for us and see what can be done.
           Yours truly,
                                                 Virginia Langell.

  Assuming that Ms. Langell pays $135/mo for her medication, she pays a 
total of $1,620.00 per year.
  Under the Democratic plan, she would save: $611.25.
  Under the Republican plan, she would only save: $385.00.
  In other words, Virginia would save more with the Democratic plan: 
$226.25.
  That is the difference between eating two or three meals a day. That 
is the cost of heating a small home during the coldest winter months. 
That is the difference between being able to fill your car with 
gasoline for trips to and from the doctor's office. It is clear that we 
must enact a real prescription drug plan now.

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