[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16825]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARD HELPING SENIORS

  (Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sing 
the praises of the Medicare-approved prescription drug card. Seniors 
are now saving up to 20 percent off brand-name prescriptions, 40 
percent off generics and 60 percent off mail order prescriptions.
  In addition, America's poorest seniors can sign up to receive an 
additional $1,200 credit for their prescriptions over the next year and 
a half. For those lower-income seniors, savings can be as high as 86 
percent off what they are paying before the card.
  Now that seniors are receiving these savings, Democrats have realized 
they cannot claim that the cards do not help. America's poorest seniors 
are getting cash subsidies for their medications, so now the Democrats 
have taken a new approach to their medi-scare tactics.
  Since they know the cards are beneficial, they are now saying that 
they are too confusing. Well, if seniors will call the 1-800-MEDICARE 
number and have their prescription bottles handy, give them your ZIP 
code, what prescriptions you are currently taking, the name of each 
drug, the dose, how often you take the drug, and the cost of the drug, 
you will be able to receive information that will immediately be of 
assistance.

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