Senator Carper to Hold Press Conference on Improving Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

Wilmington, DE – U.S. Senator Tom Carper is holding a press conference on Friday, August 20, 2004, to emphasize the need to improve the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Senator Carper will urge Congress to pass legislation that would automatically enroll low-income seniors in the drug discount card and allow the government to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors in Medicare. For low-income seniors (singles earning below $12,569 and couples earning below $16,862), the discount card means tangible and significant savings. Low-income seniors can enroll in the discount card program for free and are given $600 annually for drug costs. Low-income seniors would then pay a co-payment of just 5 to 10 percent for each prescription drug, could opt-out of the program, or simply not use the savings if they choose. WHO: U.S. Senator Tom Carper Linda Goodnight – Dir., Social Services, Silver Lake Ctr., Genesis Healthcare Kathy Caudle – Pres., Delaware Occupational Therapy Association WHAT: Press Conference on Improving Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit WHEN: Friday, August 20, 2004 10:00am – 10:30 am WHERE: Wilmington College (Dover Campus) 3282 North DuPont Highway Dover