[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7402]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE

  (Mr. REHBERG asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, for the first time in history, seniors 
across the country are about to have an option of choosing Medicare 
prescription drug coverage if they so desire. Beginning May 3, thanks 
to the improvements we made to Medicare, each beneficiary will be 
entitled to select a prescription drug discount card of their choice 
that will provide immediate savings, including a $600 credit for 
qualifying low-income individuals.
  Those who voted against these changes do not seem to want seniors to 
know that the new prescription drug coverage will help 14 million low-
income Medicare recipients who need it most, those who are having to 
choose between food and medicines they need.
  For the past 4 months, those who have voted against the drug coverage 
have not been sharing with seniors information about the new 
opportunity to sign up for prescription drug coverage.
  Why should seniors not be allowed to learn that they will soon have 
choice and control over their prescription drug plans? Do seniors not 
have the right to know that their new coverage will give them better 
access to more prescription drugs at lower prices? Do they not have the 
right to know that if they already have prescription drug coverage that 
they can stay with their plan if they like it?
  Ten days from now seniors will be free to choose for themselves.

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