Neal Dunn: “one of the most important values to all seniors is that they be financially independent in their retirement, and that…”

“one of the most important values to all seniors is that they be financially independent in their retirement, and that means they do not want to be a burden on their children and that means access to affordable health care. The high cost of prescription drugs and the lack of prescription drug coverage has caused many seniors, and especially senior women, to be very worried about their independence. I was sorry to have witnessed early this evening my women colleagues in the opposition claiming that older women will not be helped by this bill because I have seen how older women are being forced to make tough decisions about whether to spend their limited dollars on necessary prescription drugs or other of life's necessities. Our mothers and grandmothers are outliving our fathers and our grandfathers. They are living on fewer dollars for more years, and they are far more likely to develop chronic medical conditions. This bill does benefit women. This bill helps seniors on fixed incomes and those with high drug costs. A woman living on an income of less than $15,000 a year will receive total assistance from this Federal Government Medicare program for prescription drugs. While all seniors will benefit because any senior can opt to buy this coverage, nearly 17 million or 44 percent of Medicare beneficiaries will qualify for additional assistance when this bill is fully implemented.”