[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10841]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

  (Mrs. CAPITO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, the problem of the skyrocketing cost of 
prescription drugs is one that requires both a short-term and a long-
term solution. It is clear that seniors need a permanent, universal, 
and voluntary Medicare-based prescription drug benefit that provides 
more savings and more choice.
  My hope is that Congress will implement what I call a two-tiered 
approach to the problem, immediate relief through a prescription drug 
discount card, in addition to a long-term benefit through Medicare.
  The House Committee on Ways and Means has already passed a bill that 
uses this approach. Through a generous Medicare benefit and the use of 
an interim drug discount card, Congress will be able to provide seniors 
the savings that they need and deserve now and in the future. With the 
national Medicare-endorsed prescription drug card, seniors will be able 
to realize a savings between 10 and 20 percent, and once the more 
comprehensive Medicare benefit is fully implemented, seniors will be 
able to save 70 percent of their out-of-pocket costs.
  America's seniors deserve a long-term benefit. An interim measure 
would help keep the cost down.

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