[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11320]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG AND MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2003

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bonner) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, Monday December 8, 2003, was truly a 
historic day for millions of Americans, especially our senior citizens. 
During the long anticipated and much planned for ceremony at the DAR 
Constitution Hall here in our Nation's capital, President Bush signed 
into law the conference report on H.R. 1, the Medicare Prescription 
Drug and Modernization Act of 2003.
  This event, attended by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, as 
well as from both Chambers here in this building, was a landmark moment 
in the history of the Medicare program. It marked the culmination of 
years of effort by Members from this Chamber, as well as by some of our 
colleagues in the other body.
  Make no mistake, the revisions to the Medicare program will provide 
great benefits to the senior citizens of this country who need the help 
the most. By signing up now for the new prescription drug discount 
card, seniors will be eligible for at-the-register savings of between 
10 and 25 percent today. Soon, 75 percent of the drug costs of up to 
$2,250 will be covered by Medicare; and before long, catastrophic 
coverage of up to 95 percent will take effect for amounts over $3,600.
  This new plan includes incentives for employers to keep their current 
employees enrolled as well as retirees under their existing plans as 
well as employers who will be able to include new provisions of this 
Medicare plan, the expanse of which is in their new plans.
  In my home State of Alabama, the Medicare program will assume 
responsibility for the prescription drug cost of nearly 140,000 seniors 
who are currently eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid coverage.
  Mr. Speaker, the revisions to the Medicare program are more extensive 
than can be covered during the time we have this evening, but there is 
also one important fact to remember: this plan is purely voluntary. 
Many Americans may well be satisfied with the coverage that they 
currently have, and they do not have to do anything. They can stay 
where they are. Senior citizens have the right to choose whether or not 
they want to enroll in this important new program. Unfortunately, with 
all of the great news about this new program, many American seniors 
have failed to take action at this point largely because there is still 
confusion about the specifics of this program.
  In a survey conducted in my district just recently, residents were 
asked how they felt about the new Medicare prescription drug plan. 
Sixty percent of those questioned said that they actually approved of 
the measure, although many did have additional questions and 
reservations about specific parts of the plan. Nearly 30 percent were 
not sure how they felt or had no opinion at all.
  In a series of town hall meetings I recently had in my district in 
south Alabama, I received more questions regarding this plan and how it 
would impact the seniors in my district and their families. These 
questions and the survey results are not surprising. Such sweeping 
changes in a program as important as Medicare, which has basically 
remained consistent since its inception since the 1960s, undoubtedly 
has caused some confusion.
  In an effort to help answer some of these questions and help clear up 
some of the clouds of confusion that exist, I will be hosting two 
senior citizen seminars on Monday, June 7, in my district in south 
Alabama. The primary focus of these events is to focus the attention on 
the Medicare bill.
  I am pleased that representatives from the Department of Health and 
Human Services will be in attendance to help answer questions, as well 
as my friend and our colleague, the distinguished gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Gingrey), who will also be on hand to discuss this 
important issue. Before beginning his outstanding service here in the 
Congress, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) was a practicing 
physician. And he is well qualified not only as a legislator but also 
as someone who has participated in the medical profession for so many 
years of his life.

                              {time}  2015

  Moreover, I have representatives from the Social Security 
Administration as well as the Department of Veterans Affairs to answer 
other questions that are pertinent to our senior citizens at this 
twilight of their lives.
  My hope is that these two seminars, the first in Fairhope, Alabama, 
and the second in Mobile, will do much to provide useful information to 
help answer questions that are so important and so timely.
  Mr. Speaker, I would encourage my colleagues on both sides of the 
political aisle to do likewise in their district, to try to reach out 
and help explain some of the questions that still exist with this new 
law. The assistance this program is providing is desperately needed by 
our senior citizens.

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