[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16264-16265]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          DRUG DISCOUNT CARDS

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

[[Page 16265]]


  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, one of the aspects of the Medicare bill is 
the market-based provisions contained in the discount drug card 
program. These cards provide immediate help to seniors who need 
prescription drugs.
  By bringing transparency and accountability to Medicare, the cards 
will help 7.3 million people with Medicare save between $1.4 billion 
and $1.8 billion altogether in discounts on their prescription. An 
additional feature is the $600 credit that helps low-income cardholders 
buy medicine.
  Individuals who make less than $12,569 per year and couples who make 
less than $16,862 are eligible for the credit. That means the first 
$600 in drug costs incurred by the recipients will be covered by the 
Federal credits.
  More than 83,000 Pennsylvania low-income seniors will benefit from 
the plan. There are some 40-plus cards available. Seniors can call 1-
800-MEDICARE to figure out which card is best for them.

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