Ehrlich on Washington column, February 26, 2001

NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Road, Suite 304 315 Cannon House Office Building Lutherville, Maryland 21093 Washington, D.C. 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of February 26, 200 1 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. The Best Care for our Nation’s Seniors While Medicare has been a tremendous success in enhancing the lives of our nation’s seniors, it has failed to keep pace with recent advancements in the health care industry and its delivery system. When Medicare was created in 1965, America had fewer seniors, lower health care costs, and less advanced medical technology. The average beneficiary’s life expectancy at the time was 70 years. Today, our seniors are living longer, healthier lives. Hundreds of powerful new medicines treat diseases related to the aging process - Alzheimer’s, heart disease, osteoporosis, glaucoma, and other debilitating conditions. These drugs play an integral role in aiding the lives of our parents and grandparents by preventing costly surgery and hospitalization. Additionally, seniors have embraced better, more healthy lifestyles and the preventive medicines that are emphasized by pharmaceuticals. Traditional fee-for service Medicare does not cover outpatient prescription medications. Fortunately, two-thirds of our seniors have prescription coverage through Medigap, employer- provided retiree plans, Medicare+Choice, or other assistance programs. Clearly, however, there remain seniors who do not have enough insurance coverage and cannot afford the medicine they need, even those vulnerable to chronic health problems. President Bush has made prescription drug coverage under Medicare a priority. With his leadership, Congress will reform Medicare so that seniors have access to prescription drugs and modern medicine and have more control over their own health care. The President’s plan will cover all prescription drug expenses for low-income seniors, the full cost of Medicare premiums for low-income seniors, at least part of the premium cost for all seniors, and the cost of catastrophic Medicare coverage for all seniors. President Bush will also introduce legislation immediately to provide $48 billion of direct support to states for four years. This “Immediate Helping Hand” initiative will allow states to immediately cover the full cost of prescription drugs for seniors with incomes at or below 135% of poverty (currently $1 1,300 for individual seniors and $15,200 for couples). c