Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Sen. Harry Reid

Mr. President, older Americans pay the highest prescription drug costs in the entire world. Because of the high cost and the lack of coverage, many of our seniors are being forced to make tough choices. In fact, one in eight seniors is forced to choose between buying food and buying medicine. Many seniors simply do not take drugs their doctors prescribe because they cannot afford them. Some seniors do not fill one or more of their prescriptions. Others divide their pills in half. Others, instead of taking half a pill a day, skip days and take them every other day. Some older Americans do not buy their own prescription medicine so they can buy the prescription medicine their spouse needs.

In a country that is blessed with the economy that we have, and some of the best medical researchers in the world, it is disgraceful that lifesaving drugs are not being made accessible to our seniors. Prescription drugs are a necessary component of modern medicine, and our seniors are dependent on them to maintain healthy lives.

It used to be, before Medicare came into being, that 4 out of every 10 seniors who were hospitalized had no health insurance. Now virtually all have health insurance. At the time we started Medicare, it was not necessary that we have a prescription drug benefit. Thirty-five years later, it is absolutely important.

I have in hand a couple of communications I have received from people from Nevada. Let me share with you what Michael Rose said:

I am aware that Medicare reform will be the congressional agenda this year and I would like to share my thoughts with you.

Skipping one paragraph and getting to the meat of this communication:

I cannot afford the 5 medications that I currently take if I have to get care elsewhere. Although I will be on the Medicare rolls as of January 2000, I will still not be able to afford my meds. As a manic-depressive, this means that I cannot afford sanity and I am scared beyond your wildest dreams about what will happen to me when the medications run out because I can't afford them. Please vote in favor of including prescription drugs in any Medicare reform package that is considered by the Senate.

Mr. President, I repeat what he says: I will not be able to afford sanity. He takes pills to keep himself sane.

I have a communication from Gail Rattigan, who is a registered nurse. She lives in Henderson, NV.

Senator Reid: I am a [registered nurse] who recently cared for an 82 year old woman who tried to commit suicide because she couldn't afford the medications her doctor had told her were necessary to prevent a stroke. It would be much more cost effective for the government to pay for medications that prevent these serious illnesses than expensive hospitalizations. These include but are not limited to blood pressure medications, anti-stroke anticoagulants, and cholesterol medications. The government's current policy of paying for medications only in the hospital is backward. Get into health promotion and disease promotion and save money. Please share this message with your republican colleagues. Thanks for your support. Sincerely, Gail Rattigan.

She is right. We need to move on and do something about giving senior citizens who are on Medicare prescription drug benefits. We need to do that at the earliest possible time.

Sen. Max Baucus

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak in morning business.