Max Cleland: “Prescription drugs currently constitute the largest out-of-pocket health care cost for seniors. Over 85 percent of…”

“Prescription drugs currently constitute the largest out-of-pocket health care cost for seniors. Over 85 percent of Medicare beneficiaries take at least one prescription medicine, and the average senior fills eighteen prescriptions per year. Because prescription drug coverage was not a standard part of health insurance when Medicare was enacted 35 years ago, many seniors must pay for the high cost of prescription drugs out of their own pockets. We are now facing a crisis of monumental proportion for many older Americans. The simple fact is, the high cost of today's modern medicines and the absence of Medicare coverage have placed needed medications out of reach for too many seniors. Most older Americans must juggle daily costs like groceries and utilities with paying for medicine. They are being forced to compromise by buying only a portion of the needed medications, too often making their treatment regimens incorrect and ineffective. Without the proper medication and dosage for conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems, seniors may find themselves faced with even more costly hospitalizations and compromised health.”