Political Quotes

“first, I commend my two colleagues for their eloquent statements. I commend the Presiding Officer for his great leadership on this effort to pass a prescription drug benefit this year. The most fundamental reform for our Nation's Medicare Program is its transformation from a program that has focused, since 1965, on dealing with people's needs after they were sick enough to go to the doctor or the hospital and to create a modern commitment to good health. Access to medications is an absolutely central part of that commitment to good health. Access to medications not only helps people live longer, happier, healthier lives, but it also will help Medicare save money. These truths are particularly important to the most vulnerable of our elderly, those who are too well off to qualify for Medicaid, the program for poor Americans, but are too poor to afford their medically necessary prescription drugs. There are approximately 10 million older Americans living on an annual income of $13,000 or less per year. Of that 10 million, 5.5 million have no prescription drug coverage because they do not qualify for Medicaid. These Americans face the tough choices of deciding whether they can afford their prescription drugs.”