Salem , OR – Wednesday, October 18, Ron and Congresswoman Darlene Hooley visited the Salem Senior Center to discuss top-priority reforms for senior health care. Of particular concern to many of the seniors in attendence, was the new Medicare prescription drug program.

One concern that both Ron and Congresswoman Hooley shared with the Seniors is a provision in the new Medicare law that specifically prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from using the negotiating power of Medicare's 40 million beneficiaries to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors, a power that could be used to save seniors — and taxpayers in general — millions of dollars each year.  This negotiating authority is already used by other government agencies, including the Department of Veterans' Affairs, to save taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

Another major concern is a potential gap in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage, known as the “donut hole,” under which many seniors’ prescription drug coverage will run out when their drug spending reaches $2,250 in a year (coverage resumes when spending reaches $5,100, thus a coverage gap – the “donut hole” – of $2,850 that seniors are expected to manage on their own).