Nancy L. Johnson: “in the last session of Congress we passed important legislation giving Americans access to portable insurance coverage…”

“in the last session of Congress we passed important legislation giving Americans access to portable insurance coverage regardless of their health status, but we did not extend these same protections to our senior and disabled constituents who are on Medicare. Yet no senior should be required to live in fear that unexpected medical bills will deprive them of financial independence. That is why today I am introducing, along with 30 of my colleagues and with the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell] of the Energy and Commerce Committee, a portability bill for the millions of senior citizens who supplement their Medicare coverage with private insurance. I am pleased to say that a bill is being introduced in the Senate, sponsored by Senators Rockefeller and Chafee, that is identical to this bill to speed the action of Congress to provide these critical protections to our seniors. An estimated 10 million senior citizens, one-third of the total number of seniors on Medicare, rely on Medigap coverage to meet important health needs. Medigap insurance typically paid for prescription drugs and skilled nursing care. These are protections that our seniors deserve, and I ask your cosponsorship of my legislation.”