AARP Delivers Petitions to Kyl and McCain
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-03-02 17:18:28.781498-05:00
AARP Urges Senators to Support Legislation to Lower Drug Prices
AARP advocacy volunteers last month hand delivered signed petitions from Arizona constituents to the offices of Arizona Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl. The petitions, signed by 2000 Arizona residents, urge the Senators to vote for a bill that is coming up for a vote this month in the U.S. Senate that would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to bargain for lower Medicare drug prices under Medicare Part D.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 4, the "Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007" by a bipartisan vote of 255 to170. AARP strongly supported H.R. 4 and is now putting its weight behind a similar piece of legislation coming before the Senate.
"There is overwhelming support by residents in Arizona to allow Medicare to bargain for lower drug prices," said Lupe Solis, AARP Arizona Associate State Director of Advocacy. "Giving the Secretary authority to use the bargaining power of millions of Medicare beneficiaries to negotiate with drug companies would help achieve even lower drug prices and strengthen the Part D drug benefit."
According to a recent AARP poll, 89 percent of Arizona residents want Medicare to use its enormous bargaining power to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs. Older Americans are the largest consumers of prescription drugs, with a typical senior taking four prescriptions a day.
"We're urging Senators McCain and Kyl to listen to their constituents and support legislation that would improve the Part D program and lower the cost of prescriptions for thousands of Arizonans," said Solis. The upcoming vote in the Senate would give Medicare the authority to bargain for lower drug prices.
AARP will report back to its 38 million members on how the Senate votes on the bill. AARP continues to track votes in the 110th Congress regarding legislation that AARP members are interested in, like health care.
"Giving Medicare bargaining power is a key issue for our members, and we will be letting our members know where their elected officials stand on this issue," Solis added.
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