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Mitchell discusses prescription drug relief with President Bush
[JUNE 18, 2003]
CHICAGO -- State Rep. Bill
Mitchell, R-Forsyth, joined President George W. Bush in Chicago on
June 11 to push for a new prescription drug assistance program for
seniors. Mitchell also took the opportunity to speak with the
president one-on-one about prescription drug relief programs.
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Mitchell said it was an "honor to talk
with the president about the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs
and the impact that is having on our seniors and their quality of
life."
"I feel his proposal which is currently
before the United States Congress is a good plan and deserves a fair
hearing," he said. According to Mitchell, Bush's plan would
strengthen and improve Medicare.
"One-third of American seniors don't
have any prescription drug coverage" and that has to change, said
Mitchell.
In the Illinois General Assembly he has
been a leading advocate for creating and expanding pharmaceutical
assistance programs to help seniors afford costly prescriptions.
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this article]
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"At the state level, we have expanded
the Circuit Breaker program and worked with the president to create
the SeniorCare program to help lower- to moderate-income seniors,"
Mitchell said. "This spring, I fought for the creation of a new
voluntary prescription discount drug program that covers all
prescriptions for any senior over the age of 65... . If
signed into law, interested seniors can join the program for just
$25 a year.
"I feel it
is vitally important that our federal government and state
government work together on programs that complement one another to
help ease the burden of prescription drug costs on our seniors."
[News
release]
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