[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16859-16860]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DISCOUNT CARD PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 11, 2001

  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, President George W. Bush 
unveiled his principles for Medicare reform on July 12, 2001; and
  Whereas, under the program, Medicare beneficiaries would be able to 
purchase Medicare-endorsed prescription drug discount cards with access 
to lower cost drugs at the point of sale; and
  Whereas, the Program was conceived by a select group of pharmacy 
benefit management companies without the deliberation of the larger 
pharmacy community; and
  Whereas, Community pharmacies will bear the greatest financial burden 
for this Program to discount prescription drugs; and
  Whereas, drug manufactures account for nearly 80% of the cost of 
prescription drugs sold in the U.S. but will bear very little of the 
financial burden created by this Program; and
  Whereas, The Program does not provide seniors with access to 
prescription drugs or the pharmacist's professional services; and
  Whereas, seniors take more prescription drugs than any other 
population group in the U.S. and need the accessibility and expertise 
of their community pharmacist; and

[[Page 16860]]

  Whereas, peer-reviewed research has demonstrated that discount 
programs have been proven not to be effective; and
  Whereas, The Program is not insurance coverage nor will it provide 
drug coverage to those millions of seniors who cannot currently afford 
even inexpensive prescription drugs; and
  Whereas, the Program promotes the under utilization of generic drugs, 
heavy use of mail order, and limits senior citizens to the option of 
only one drug per therapeutic class;
  Therefore be it resolved, that the National Pharmaceutical 
Association representing all of America's minority pharmacists at its 
House of Delegates assembly during the 54h Annual Meeting July 20-24, 
2001 in Cleveland, Ohio joins other national pharmacy associations in 
opposing the Prescription Drug Discount Card program as presently 
composed and urges the President of the United States, the Secretary of 
the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Administrator of 
the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to immediately revisit 
this flawed and potentially unconstitutional Program; and
  Be it further resolved, that the Secretary of HHS appoint a blue 
ribbon committee consisting of all facets of the national pharmacy 
community to study this issue and make recommendations to solve 
America's pressing issue of prescription drug coverage for those 
Americans over the age of 65; and finally
  Be it resolved that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the 
President, Secretary of HHS, Administrator of CMMS, and all the 
national pharmacy organizations.

                          ____________________