| February 7, 2000 LEADERSHIP COUNCIL of AGING ORGANIZATIONS
Horace B. Deets, Chairman
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator: The undersigned members of the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) look forward to working with the Congress on the creation of a Medicare prescription drug benefit. As you consider current proposal and draft new prescription drug proposals, we would like you to consider the following issues that are of the highest priority to out organizations and the millions of Americans that we represent. Benefits - Medicare should guarantee access to a voluntary prescription drug benefit as a part of its defined benefit package.
- Medicare's prescription drug benefit should provide comprehensive coverage, including the most current, effective, and individually appropriate drug therapies
- Medicare's contribution toward the cost of the prescription drug benefit must keep pace with the increase in the prescription drug costs ad not e tied to budgetary caps.
- Adding a Medicare prescription drug benefit must no reduce access to other Medicare benefits.
Coverage - The Medicare prescription drug benefit should be available to all Medicare eligible older Americans and person with disabilities, regardless of income or health status.
- The Medicare prescription drug benefit must be voluntary and must provide safeguards against the erosion of current prescription drug coverage provided by others.
Affordability - The financing of a new Medicare prescription drug benefit should protect all beneficiaries from burdensome out-of-pocket expenses and unaffordable cost sharing, particularly low-income beneficiaries.
- The new benefit must protect individuals from extraordinary expenses for prescription drugs.
- The government subsidy must be sufficient to guard against risk selection and to provide an attractive benefit design.
- Sufficient subsidies should be provided for low-income beneficiaries to ensure that they have access to the benefit.
Administration - The new prescription drug benefit should be efficiently managed, include appropriate cost-containment and reflect the purchasing power of the Medicare beneficiary pool.
Quality - The new Medicare prescription drug benefit must meet rigorous standards for quality of care, including appropriate monitoring and quality assurance activities.
- The Medicare program should work to prevent the overuse, underuse, and misuse of prescription drugs.
We request that you carefully consider the issues presented above as you develop your Medicare prescription drug proposals. We look forward to working with you to ensure that the Medicare program is strengthened by your efforts. Sincerely, AARP AFSCME Retiree Program
Alzheimer's Association
American Association for International Aging
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
American Federation of Teachers Program on Retirement and Retirees
American Society of Consultant Pharmacists
Asociacion Nacional Pro Personas Mayores
Association for Gerontology and Human Development in Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Association of Jewish Aging Services
B'nai B'rith Center for Senior Housing and Services Eldercare America, Inc.
Families USA
The Gerontological Society of America
Gray Panthers
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
National Association of Foster Grandparent Program Directors
National Association of Retired and Senior Volunteer Program Directors, Inc.
National Association of Senior Companion Project Directors
National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs
National Association of State Units on Aging
National Caucus and Center of Black Aged, Inc.
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
National Council of Senior Citizens
National Council on the Aging, Inc.
National Hispanic Council on Aging
National Indian Council on Aging, Inc.
National Osteoporosis Foundation
National Senior Citizens Law Center
Older Women's League |
