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Discusses Health Care, Economy and Other Issues Important to Seniors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, October 15, 2004
"I was pleased to meet with senior citizens at Asbury Senior Center today because it is important to me to hear directly about the issues that concern them," said Congressman Hoyer. "I have heard from many seniors about health care issues and they have been very clear - they want an affordable prescription drug benefit included in the Medicare program and they want it to be universal and guaranteed.
"Unfortunately, the Medicare law that passed last year was not written with the best interest of seniors in mind and the drug benefit is confusing and illogical. This bill also prevented the secretary of Health and Human Services from negotiating lower drug prices even though such sensible negotiation would save both seniors and the government money, and is currently done at the Veterans Administration (VA). I am working to give the Secretary this authority so that the 40 million seniors enrolled in Medicare can afford their medicines."
In June, seniors and people with disabilities were able to sign up for a new drug discount card, however, this transitional program will only be in effect from June 2004 through December 2005 and there are no guarantees that this complicated program will have a real reduction on the cost of prescription drugs for seniors.
Furthermore, in September, the Bush Administration announced that due largely to provisions in the new Medicare law, seniors' Medicare Part B premiums will rise next year from $66.70 to $78.30 a month (an increase of $11.60 or 17.4 percent) - the largest dollar increase in the history of Medicare. And, USA Today reported that, under the new GOP law, a typical 65-year-old can expect to spend 37 percent of his or her Social Security check on Medicare premiums, co-payments and out-of-pocket expenses in 2006 when the rest of the Medicare law will go into effect. That share is projected to grow to almost 40 percent in 2011 and nearly 50 percent in 2021.
"But, seniors are not only concerned about health care. They care about our economy, and they care about the flawed fiscal policies being pursued by this Administration that have plunged our country deeply into debt and will force our children and grandchildren to pick up the bill.
"I will continue to fight for policies that encourage growth and a strong economy, and that promote fairness and fiscal responsibility, while allowing us to invest in crucial priorities such as education, homeland security and health care," Hoyer added.
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