NurseWeek

Seniors rally for Medicare drug coverage

By Noel Holton
Health24News
October 18, 2000


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Washington. Senior citizens, tired of the rising cost of prescription drugs, demonstrated at rallies held today in eight cities across the country, demanding that Medicare help pick up the drug tab.

The rallies, which were organized by the consumer organization group USAction, took place in New York; Philadelphia; Milwaukee; Chicago; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Tacoma, Wash.; St. Louis; and Danbury, Conn. Seniors handed out pill bottles to passersby, pleading their case for Medicare prescription drug coverage.

"Seniors should not be forced to choose between eating and taking the medicine they need to survive," said William McNary, president of USAction. "We can’t leave seniors at the mercy of private insurance companies and HMOs. Only Medicare can meet the needs of every American senior citizen."

Last week, USAction released the results of a study that examined the effects of the rapidly increasing drug prices on the nation’s elderly. According to the study entitled "Impossible Choices: Food and Housing or Prescription Drugs?," the average retail prices for prescription drugs have shot up twice as fast as the average monthly Social Security benefit for elderly couples since 1991.

The drug industry association, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), explains that the reason drug prices are skyrocketing is that drug companies must spend increasingly large amounts of money to develop drugs in the wake of technological advances.

In 1999, the drug industry spent $24 billion on research and development. So far this year, the industry has spent $26.4 billion.

Seniors took to the platforms at the various rallies to share their experiences juggling the costs of their prescription medications with their other important needs.

Ray Andrews, a senior at the rally in Chicago said, "We have to spend so much money on prescriptions that we are trying to figure out whether or not we can fix our broken furnace and leaky roof and still afford all of our medication. No one should have to make choices like that."