Political Quotes

“I would reclaim my time and thank my colleague for that information and would be happy to join with him in the issue of generic drugs, as well, as we look at how we lower the costs of prescriptions, because there are a number of different strategies that need to happen today, that need to address how we bring more competition with generics, how we allow the prices to go down because we have Medicare negotiating a group discount. Right now seniors do not have anybody. If they do not have private insurance, a senior citizen today does not have anybody negotiating a group discount for them while others do have people, whether it is insurance coverage or their HMO. Let me also share the information: I do have enclosures that I appreciate Joe and Ethyl sending me their expenditures from January 1, 1999, until November 6, 1999. Mr. Korn's total prescription drug cost for this 10-month period was $1,515.36. The total cost for Ethyl, who admits she cannot afford everything she needs, was $324.02. One of my concerns I hear from friends of mine who are physicians are concerns that people are not purchasing what they need, or that they are taking it the wrong way. I had a physician in Michigan join me at an event and share the fact that he had lost a patient because she was taking her medication every other day, instead of when she needed it, every day. I have had stories of individuals talking to me about cutting their pills in half so they will last longer.”