Congress Should Approve Medicare Drug Benefit, Colorado Lawmakers Say
"The Senate must pass" a Medicare prescription drug benefit bill "now," Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) writes in a Denver Post opinion piece. Allard, who is running for re-election, adds that seniors should "not have to skip taking their medicine or stop filling their prescriptions because of cost." Although the Senate has yet to pass a prescription drug benefit, the "good news" is that it has approved the "underlying" drug reform legislation (S 812), he writes (Allard, Denver Post, 9/12). The measure would ease market entry of generic drugs and allow the reimportation of U.S.-made prescription drugs from Canada. Senate Democrats on Tuesday "issued a challenge" to the House to pass similar legislation (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 9/10). Allard concludes, "These drug reforms lay a foundation for Congress to provide prescription drug assistance to seniors who need it" (Denver Post, 9/12).
'Past Time' for Congressional Action
Congress could take "simple, common sense" steps to "dramatically improve the cost and availability" of prescription drugs for seniors, former U.S. Attorney Tom Strickland (D), who is challenging Allard for the Senate seat, writes in another Denver Post opinion piece. He continues, "[I]t is unacceptable that Congress continues to play politics instead of getting the job done. Colorado's more than 460,000 Medicare beneficiaries deserve better." Strickland has proposed a "comprehensive" Medicare drug plan that would pay for up to $4,000 of seniors' annual drug costs with no deductible and a $25 monthly premium. The benefit would offer "direct, guaranteed coverage" that seniors could "expect from their very first trip to the pharmacy." Strickland concludes, "It is past time for Congress to stand up to the special interests opposing reform and enact meaningful relief" (Strickland, Denver Post, 9/12).
