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Web posted Sunday, March
21, 2004
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'Medicare road show' comes to Beaufort County
SUN CITY: House Democratic Leader Nancy
Pelosi addresses new bill and its effect on
seniors.
By Matt Coffey
Carolina Morning News
Introduced with a standing ovation,
Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives
Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., led a forum on Medicare
legislation Saturday at Sun City.
"This
meeting is part of 70 that are taking place today
across the country," Pelosi said. "I'm pleased the
Medicare road show is bringing constituents
together ... to change the
situation."
About 400 people packed
Pinckney Hall to learn more about how new Medicare
legislation will affect them when it goes into
effect in 2006.
"This legislation is the
classic Trojan horse," Pelosi told the crowd.
"It's the 'poison pill', pun intended, for
seniors."
The forum included a film which
Walter Cronkite narrated to explain some of the
aspects of the new Medicare
legislation.
"We want people to know what
the bill is all about," said Congressman James
Clyburn, D-S.C. "This bill has become a metaphor
with all that seems to be missing in
Washington."
Members of the audience were
also able to participate in a question-and-answer
session with Clyburn and Dee Mahan, Families USA
health policy analyst.
Families USA is a
group that advocates health care coverage for all
people and is responsible for putting the film
together.
One of the biggest concerns was
whether or not seniors could continue to get drugs
from Canada.
"We can set up a process, like
we do for meat and other items, to make sure what
we pay for is what we get" when buying drugs from
Canada, Clyburn said.
Another topic of
discussion was the introduction of temporary
prescription drug cards that would allow seniors
to get a discount at the pharmacy.
The only
problem with the cards, however, is consumers
won't know which drugs are covered with the cards
for some time, Mahan said.
"What the
discounts are we won't know until right before
they come out and then they can change," which
drugs are covered, Mahan said.
All in all,
Loretta Warden, president of the Democratic Club
South of the Broad, said she hoped people came
away from the forum knowing more than they did
before.
"We're pleased to have the
opportunity to welcome (Clyburn and Pelosi) here,"
Warden said. "This is, I would say, the most
important topic at this time."
For more
information about the new Medicare legislation,
visit Families USA's Web site at
www.familiesusa.org
Reporter Matt Coffey
can be reached at 837-5255, ext. 123, or
matthew.coffey@lowcountrynow.com
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