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Legislative Update: Senior Pressure Will Make The Difference For Adding A Prescription Drug Benefit To Medicare By Michael J. Zabko, Executive Director, TREA Senior Citizens League The average senior spends more on prescriptions than on doctor bills. The typical American over age 65 fills an average of 18 prescriptions a year. But according to one disturbing estimate in the June 23, 1999 issue of The Washington Post, roughly half the prescriptions written go unfilled because many seniors literally choose between drugs and food. The same article contends that Medicare has never covered prescription drugs because of the political opposition of the pharmaceutical industry. They fear that if Medicare ever covered drugs, the program would use its enormous purchasing power as purchaser to negotiate lower prices. Another larger government drug purchaser, the Department of Veteran's Affairs, does just that and gets prices 30% to 40% lower than other health plans. America's seniors pay the highest drug prices in the world. Not only do the drug manufacturers sell to Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and large insurance companies at lower prices, but also a House study has found that they sell to Canadian and Mexican customers at lower prices as well. Americans pay about 72% more than Canadians and about 102% more than Mexicans for the same prescription drugs. To protect their profits, the pharmaceutical industry spends more on lobbying than any other industry- more than $64 million in 1999. They are on record as support prescription drug coverage for Medicare recipients provided it comes through private health plans that rely on market competition, not government regulation or price controls. No matter how hard the drug industry lobbies, however, they can never have the same effect as you do. You can vote. You put your Member of Congress into office. And you can take them out. Seniors are the most feared group in Washington, because it is seniors who are the largest voting bloc. Prescription drug coverage is widely popular with the voters, but it's up to you to make the difference. Write to your Member of the House, Senators and President Clinton now urging each to pass measures to help seniors afford and buy the prescriptions they depend on. America's seniors are closer than ever to getting they help they need to buy prescription drugs. We will only get that help if we are willing to help ourselves. Contact Washington NOW! This article first appeared in Volume 4, Issue 10 of "The Social Security and Medicare Advisor" newsletter (October/1999). To receive future editions of "The Advisor" in its special, free e-mail version, please click here. | ||||||||
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