Issue Position: Medicare

Issue Position

Issue Position: Medicare

As an optometrist who practiced in the Third District of Arkansas for 25 years, I know firsthand how important Medicare is to Arkansas's seniors. While Medicare has helped over 90 million American seniors live happier and healthier lives, the program has failed to keep up with the advancements the medical field has seen since its inception.

The Medicare program is need of some modernization so that seniors can benefit from new technologies and advancements made in the health care field. For this reason, I voted for the "Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003," which President Bush signed into law in December 2003. This new voluntary program guarantees real savings and choice to seniors looking for prescription drug coverage. Right now, seniors are saving as much as 40% on their drugs thanks to the Medicare prescription drug cards, the first phase of the permanent drug benefit which will kick-in in two years. Once the permanent prescription drug plans are established in 2006, Medicare will pay 75% of drug costs up to $2,250 for all beneficiaries who enroll in the drug benefit program. Additional benefits for Arkansas' low-income seniors are also included in the new program.

We also need to make sure that Medicare has the resources to deliver on its promise of a secure and healthy retirement for today's and tomorrow's seniors. I promise to work with my colleagues in the House, both Democrat and Republican, to strengthen Medicare so that the program can continue to provide innovative care and benefits to our nation's seniors.

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