On the recordDecember 12, 2019
I am proud to be voting today for the passage of the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bill to lower healthcare costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for certain high-cost drugs. I am even prouder that H.R. 3 will reinvest the savings from these drug negotiations into a transformational expansion of Medicare benefits, which includes routine vision, hearing, and dental care. I have fought for years to include these critical services in my Seniors Have Eyes, Ears, and Teeth Act because they will prevent healthcare costs and suffering due to senior accidents, falls, cognitive impairment, oral cancer, and increased chronic conditions. Most importantly, giving our older adults the gift of hearing, vision, and oral health would go a long way to helping them enjoy their golden years free from depression and social isolation. It is time to recognize total healthcare for our seniors must include adequate access to vision, hearing, and dental services. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3. ____________________
