[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 24396]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM WILL HELP SENIORS

  (Mr. TONKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to talk about 
how the health insurance reform will help our Nation's seniors.
  We have all heard about the dreaded Medicare part D doughnut hole--
the gap in prescription drug coverage that 7,300 seniors a year in my 
congressional district alone face. Seniors who fall in the doughnut 
hole must cover the full cost of their prescription drugs, forcing many 
to cut back on their prescription use.
  H.R. 3200 fills in the doughnut hole, shrinking it over several years 
until there is no interruption in prescription drug coverage for our 
seniors. Until the doughnut whole is completely filled, H.R. 3200 also 
offers discounts on brand-name prescription drugs to seniors who fall 
into that doughnut hole.
  H.R. 3200 also makes great strides in improving the care Medicare 
patients receive. It includes provisions that encourage doctors to 
spend more time with their patients and to check up with them more 
frequently. Accountable care organizations and medical homes in the 
bill will promote coordination of care amongst the different health 
care professionals and result in better health care outcomes for 
Medicare patients.
  I am proud to support this bill and encourage my colleagues to do the 
same

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