[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16266]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

  (Mr. BEAUPREZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BEAUPREZ. Mr. Speaker, as my colleague, the previous speaker, 
just mentioned, today America's seniors are receiving significant 
discounts on their prescription medications for the first time in the 
history of Medicare. Discounts range from approximately 20 percent for 
brand-name drugs to as much as 60 percent on mail order prescriptions. 
These savings can be seen all across the country.
  My own parents, for example, back home in Colorado can save a 
combined $1,300 a year on their prescription medications. The money 
they are saving goes a long way toward helping them with their 
retirement savings or, more, to be generous with their grandchildren 
and great-grandchildren.
  I am told that certain low-income seniors are realizing even greater 
savings from this program. Qualifying Medicare beneficiaries can save 
as much as 86 percent, as we just heard, on what they currently pay for 
prescription drugs. Millions of seniors are already enjoying these 
significant savings from their Medicare prescription drug cards.
  I commend the Members of this House and the President for passing 
this legacy legislation.

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