Carper Praises Pharmaceuticals’ Plan to Offer Discounts, Centrist Democrat Enacted Prescription Plan as Governor

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Tom Carper praised a plan unveiled by seven pharmaceutical companies today that would provide needed prescription drug assistance to those eligible for Medicare who have no other prescription drug coverage. The seven companies are offering discounts of 20% to 40% on the drugs they manufacture for Medicare-eligible individuals earning up to $28,000 if single and $38,000 if married. “The Congress needs to pass and the President needs to sign this year a prescription drug benefit that’s available to all senior citizens. I will keep working to make that a reality,” Carper said. “In the meantime, programs like the one I signed into law in Delaware and this effort by the pharmaceutical industry will give help to those who need it most.” As Governor of Delaware, Carper signed into law a prescription drug plan called the “Pill Bill” that gives thousands of dollars of help to seniors earning up to 200% of poverty. The plan announced today by these leading pharmaceutical companies would expand help to additional Delaware seniors as well as an estimated 8 to 11 million Medicare beneficiaries. The companies participating the program, which they call the Together Rx card, are Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson*, and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. * Johnson & Johnson is participating in the Together Rx Card through its Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceutica Products L.P. companies.