SEN. TALENT PRAISES PASSAGE OF LANDMARK MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT FOR SENIORS

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) U.S. Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.) praised Senate passage of landmark legislation to provide prescription drug coverage for Missouri seniors effectively bringing the Medicare program into the 21st Century.  

The legislation, the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act, passed the Senate 54-44 Tuesday morning.  The bill has already passed the House and Senate passage means Congress is finally delivering on a promise is has made to seniors year after year.  President Bush is expected to sign the bill into law.

"This is the most important Medicare bill in a generation," Talent said in a speech on the Senate floor in support of the bill.  "This bill meets the conditions that I believe are important for a Medicare prescription drug benefit.  It has an immediate benefit, reasonable monthly premiums, strong catastrophic coverage, targeted help for low-income seniors, quality benefits for rural areas, protections for local pharmacies, choice and access to all medicine and participation is voluntary, so if you like what you have, you don't have to participate."

The bill provides a prescription drug benefit for the 40 million Americans, including more than 867,000 Missouri seniors currently enrolled in the Medicare program.  Seniors enrolled in the Medicare program would be eligible for coverage in this bill for approximately $35 a month and will receive at least 50 percent off their prescription drug costs.  Of the approximately, 270,000 beneficiaries in Missouri who have limited savings and low income, they will qualify for even more generous coverage.  Additionally, the government will help the state pick up the cost of the Medicaid-eligible seniors.
 
"For too long, political pressures and obstruction have kept us from bringing the benefits of modern health care to Medicare," said Talent.  "These are our parents and our grandparents and we owe it to them to bring Medicare into the 21st Century by adding a prescription drug benefit.  I congratulate the seniors in Missouri for their advocacy and everyone who has been working so long for this day."