[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26265]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            MRS. RABINOWITZ

  (Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, 42 million seniors can now 
sign up for the new voluntary Medicare drug benefit.
  Yesterday I was with a senior in my district, Shirley Rabinowitz, who 
takes 17 different prescription drugs. Let me say that again: 17 
different prescription drugs. She takes drugs for diabetes. She takes 
drugs for her heart condition. She lives with a number of chronic 
illnesses, and so she takes 17 different prescriptions. But like so 
many seniors, she has no retiree coverage, no Medicaid coverage, no 
State plan assistance, in fact, no prescription drug coverage at all. 
And her out of pocket expenses are huge.
  So she wondered if the new Medicare plan would help her, and she went 
to an adviser with the Triple Area Agency on Aging and she learned in 
30 short minutes that she can save $4,000 a year. Let me say that 
again: $4,000 a year.
  Mr. Speaker, this new drug program is a huge benefit to our seniors. 
Do not discourage them from getting the advice they need that is 
readily available to save them lots of money.

                          ____________________