[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16897]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            MEDICARE PART D

  (Mr. GINGREY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Medicare 
Part D, the new prescription drug benefit Congress passed as part of 
the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.
  Mr. Speaker, if our seniors cannot afford their medications their 
health is going to suffer. That is why it is hugely important to 
provide our seniors with affordable drug coverage under Medicare, and 
CMS has projected savings of up to 75 percent off many drug prices for 
Medicare Part D enrollees.
  Seniors can begin signing up for the Part D program on November 15. 
We hope to enroll 28 million seniors by May of 2006, making it the 
largest sign-up for a new program since the introduction of Medicare 
and Medicaid.
  That is why we are going to need the help of our whole community 
local senior centers, commissions on aging, friends, families, pastors, 
volunteers and community leaders.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage anyone who wants to learn more about 
Medicare Part D, the prescription drug option, to call 1-800-MEDICARE 
or visit the Web site, www.medicare.gov. Our seniors deserve affordable 
prescription drugs and Part D will be a great benefit to their well-
being.

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