WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and House Democrats today
led the charge to give seniors access to affordable prescription drugs.
They announced discharge petitions on two bills that would make prescription
drugs more affordable for seniors. A discharge petition is a parliamentary
tool that allows a majority of members, 218, to force a bill that is being
bottled-up in committee onto the House floor for debate.
The
two bills are H.R. 1495, the Access to Prescription Medications in Medicare
Act, introduced by Representatives Pete Stark (D-CA) and John Dingell (D-MI),
and H.R. 664, the Prescription Drug Fairness for Seniors Act, introduced
by Representatives Tom Allen (D-ME) and Ronnie Shows (D-MS). H.R.
1495 would add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. It would
cover 80% of routine drug expenditures and 100% for chronically ill beneficiaries
with drug costs of more than $3000. H.R. 664 would make drugs available
to seniors at the same low prices pharmaceutical companies give favored
customers, such as insurance companies and HMOs.
“Millions
of seniors are in dire need of access to affordable prescription drugs.
The President and Democrats in Congress have concrete plans to give those
seniors access to affordable drugs. The Republicans, however, have aligned
themselves with the pharmaceutical industry over senior citizens,” Schakowsky
said.
“The
time to bring these bills to the floor is now. One out of every eight
seniors is forced to choose between food and prescription drugs.
Delaying only means more seniors will be forced to make these harmful or
even life threatening decisions,” she added.
Schakowsky
had released three reports last year that found that pharmaceutical companies
are gouging seniors. A report found that drug manufacturers on average
charge more than twice as much when drugs are intended for human use than
for animal use. Another report concluded that uninsured seniors living
in the Chicago area pay 114% more for their medications as compared to
HMOs and insurance companies. Finally, a report found that seniors living
in the Chicago area pay 80% more for the same drugs sold in Mexico and
Canada. |