[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9234]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  MEDICARE AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARDS

  (Mr. FOLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, when Senator Chuck Hagel and I drafted the 
drug discount card 3 years ago, we realized at the time that it would 
be a very important tool for seniors to save money on their 
prescription drugs. It is the reason so many people join Costco, or 
Price Club, and so many millions of America's seniors have joined AARP, 
for discounts, because they save money. It is simple, it is effective, 
and last Monday, on May 3, when we rolled out the drug discount card as 
part of the Medicare legislation, over 400,000 seniors called the 1-800 
Medicare number to inquire about the plan.
  Interestingly enough, almost every national chain, be they a grocery 
store or a pharmacy, advertised that they would be offering a drug 
discount card. It is simple. It is easy. It is convenient. And it 
allows seniors the choices that they deserve: to buy from their local 
pharmacist, their drugstore, their Costco, their Price Club, you name 
it.
  Medicare should be simple. Seniors 65 and older deserve discounts on 
their drug cards, their drug and pharmaceutical usage. They are 
receiving it under this legislation.

                          ____________________