[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 21]
[House]
[Page 28272]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      MEDICARE INFORMED CHOICE ACT

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, 1 month ago, elderly Americans were finally 
able to start choosing among plans to provide them prescription drug 
coverage. In less than a month, these benefits will go into effect. But 
now these seniors are expressing their outrage. The choices they have 
to make are so complex it was imperative that CMS get them accurate 
information. But instead, CMS sent out inaccurate information. In 
addition, they told seniors that they basically had to get their 
information off the Web or by calling a hotline, but delays on the 
hotline are enormous, and most seniors are not comfortable using the 
Internet.
  So now they are having to make critical, complex choices that are 
going to affect their health care with far too little assistance. We 
need to act to help them. Let us not turn our backs on America's 
seniors. Let us give them all of 2006 to make this important choice 
without penalty, and let us make sure that they can make a switch if 
they make the wrong choice.
  Let us pass the Medicare Informed Choice Act.

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