Over 13 million Medicare beneficiaries have no prescription coverage
but almost 80% of seniors now use prescription medicines regularly.

Seniors, and many people who are not eligible for Medicare, are paying enormous out
of pocket expenses for their prescriptions and others simply cannot afford their drugs.

Skipping or going without needed medication for financial reasons
shouldn’t be an option, but unfortunately for many it’s a reality.

Not only that, but individuals are going to Canada and Mexico to purchase their prescriptions,
because they sometimes save over two-thirds of the cost of US drugs.

That is why the Committee is pressuring State Representatives
to enact prescription drug fairness legislation.

Seniors Pay More Than Double for Prescription Drugs

Millions of senior citizens without prescription drug coverage face price discrimination by pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Seniors without drug coverage are being charged retail prices that are more than double the prices charged by prescription drug makers to their most favored customers, such as the HMOs and insurance companies.

Price Gouging = Excessive Profits for Drug Companies

The prescription drug business ranked most profitable in 1998, according to Fortune Magazine.
The profit rate was an extraordinary 38%, compared to 18% for all other top industries.
The top 10 companies reaped 50% more in profits than they invested in research and development.
CEOs of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in 1998 averaged $20 million each in annual compensation, and together held nearly $1 billion in stock options.

We Need an Affordable Prescription Drug Benefit and Fair Pricing

Congress needs to enact a comprehensive, affordable Medicare prescription drug benefit for all beneficiaries. Deductibles and other cost-sharing requirements must be low, and benefits must not be limited.
However, only a Medicare prescription drug benefit that lowers the price of prescription drugs will be affordable for seniors and the taxpayers. Congress needs to pass The Prescription Drug Fairness for Seniors Act (H.R. 664/S. 731). Known as the Allen-Johnson bill, would end price discrimination and let millions of Medicare recipients use their collective buying power to receive fair prices -- up to 40% less than they pay today.
Americans are paying much higher costs for prescription drugs than people in other countries. Click here to see a pricing chart.

Members of Congress Must:

Co-sponsor the Allen-Johnson bill
Sign the discharge petition in the U.S. House of Representatives to move the bill
Support an affordable prescription drug benefit for Medicare

New York State Must Act: As Well!

Find out the latest news from the U.S. Legislature.
Expand number of seniors eligible for the state's pharmaceutical assistance program (EPIC), and include all Medicare beneficiaries (people with disabilities on Medicare are not covered)