[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10689]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       FILLING THE DOUGHNUT HOLE

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. WATSON. Good news, Mr. Speaker, the first $250 checks have been 
sent out, 3 weeks ahead of schedule, to about 80,000 people who are 
already in the doughnut hole. The rest will be mailed at monthly 
intervals through the year as more part D enrollees, about 4 million in 
all, hit that gap. The one-time rebate will be sent directly to anyone 
who falls into the Medicare part D doughnut hole during 2010.
  Health care reform will eventually close the doughnut hole 
completely. Additional checks will be sent to seniors who fall into the 
doughnut hole every month or so after that, with a total of 4 million 
seniors receiving these $250 checks in the mail. While the Medicare 
part D program has helped millions of seniors obtain prescription drug 
coverage, there will be more.

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