Alzheimer's Association Sees Chance to Close 'Glaring, Indefensible Gap' in Medicare To: National Desk, Medical Reporter Contact: Scott Treibitz for Alzheimer's Association, 703-276-2772
WASHINGTON, June 29 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Association today issued the following statement on the President's Medicare proposal:
"We commend the President for putting on the table a meaningful proposal for universal prescription drug coverage, and for reiterating his insistence that sufficient funds from projected surpluses must be maintained to preserve and strengthen the Medicare program for the 21st century.
"The lack of prescription drug coverage is one of the most glaring and indefensible gaps in the Medicare program, particularly for beneficiaries with chronic illnesses and disability like Alzheimer's disease. Today, a beneficiary with Alzheimer's disease may be confronted not just with a $100-$150 a month bill for a drug to treat Alzheimer's, but additional costs for new antipsychotic drugs to manage behavioral symptoms associated with the disease, and for drugs to treat coexisting medical problems common in older persons. These costs are in addition to the enormous uninsured cost of long-term care these beneficiaries and their families are also paying out of their own pockets. And they are likely to increase as new and more effective drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease reach the marketplace.
"With this proposal, the President is inviting Congress and the American people to a national debate and decision on the best way to assure that older Americans have access to affordable prescription drugs that will improve their health and the quality of their lives. The Alzheimer's Association intends to participate fully in that debate. We will support a Medicare prescription drug proposal that meets the following principles:
-- It must provide universal coverage for beneficiaries in a manner that preserves and strengthens the existing Medicare program. A new prescription drug benefit should not sacrifice protections that Medicare beneficiaries with chronic care needs have now. -- It must assure beneficiaries with Alzheimer's disease access to the full range of drugs they need. -- It must offer all beneficiaries a reasonable amount of "first-dollar" coverage to help meet their drug costs, with "stop-loss" protection that limits out-of-pocket expenses for those with highest needs; -- It must provide sufficient subsidies for low-income beneficiaries to assure that they have access to the benefit. -- It must balance the need to continue to search for new and more effective drug treatments with the need to assure that those treatments are affordable for beneficiaries and the Medicare program.
--- The Alzheimer's Association is the only voluntary national health organization dedicated to conquering Alzheimer's disease through research and to providing information and support to people with Alzheimer's disease and their families. Founded in 1980, the association works through a network of more than 200 chapters across the country.
-0- /U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/ 06/29 15:04
Copyright 1999, U.S. Newswire
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