By: U.S. Congressman Phil Gingrey, M.D.

The price of prescription drugs is rising, and seniors are bearing the brunt of these costs.  To alleviate this burden, Republicans in Congress voted to pass Medicare Part D, prescription drug coverage for our seniors.  As the program approaches its one-year anniversary, we can look back at its success and encourage seniors to sign up during this year’s open-enrollment period.

Medicare Part D has improved the quality of life for many seniors.  The program saved seniors an average of $1,100 this year, and helped low-income seniors access the medicines they needed for only a few dollars a prescription.  Nearly 90 percent of Medicare recipients are now saving money and improving their health with affordable prescription drug coverage, and recent surveys show the vast majority of seniors are enthusiastic about their Part D coverage.

As a physician, I know when our seniors can afford their medicine, they can afford to stay healthier by preventing and managing disease.  During last year’s enrollment process, I heard from seniors across Northwest Georgia who were saving hundreds of dollars every time they visited the pharmacy. One woman called the program “a gift from heaven.”  I call it a critical and overdue benefit that we’ve finally delivered to our seniors.

We are currently in the midst of the 2007 open-enrollment period for Medicare Part D. Between now and December 31, 2006, seniors who didn’t sign up last year can enroll, and seniors who want to switch Part D plans can do so without penalty.

This year, Medicare has introduced several new tools to help seniors enroll and determine if their current plan is the best one available.  On the website www.Medicare.gov, seniors can compare prescription drug plans by price, benefits and medications covered.   They can also use a new tool to see what their monthly costs would be under a specific plan. 

Seniors will continue enjoying a broad choice of plans and benefits under Medicare Part D.  In the State of Georgia, there are plans available with monthly premiums as low as $17.40, as well as plans with no gap in coverage.

I urge all seniors to take advantage of this new program. If you haven’t yet enrolled, do so before December 31. Even seniors who don’t currently have high prescription drug costs can benefit from enrolling in a low-cost program, ensuring they won’t be penalized when they need expanded coverage in the future.

I also encourage seniors who enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan last year to review that plan using the three Cs: cost, coverage and customer service. If you are not satisfied with aspects of your current coverage, you can enroll in a new plan without penalty before December 31. 

Between now and the new year, seniors have an opportunity to ensure their prescription drug needs are met.  Medicare Part D is one of our proudest accomplishments for America’s seniors, and I remain deeply committed to helping all seniors reap the benefits.  I encourage 11^th District residents with questions about prescription drug coverage to contact my office, as my staff is trained to assist with the enrollment process.

Medicare Part D is helping us harness the power of preventative care by giving seniors the ability to purchase drugs that can prevent and manage major medical problems.  By paying for heart medication, we can prevent heart attacks; by helping seniors manage diabetes, we can reduce the need for dialysis.  In this way, Medicare Part D isn’t just saving seniors money – it’s helping us save senior lives.

In its first year, Medicare Part D has been a resounding success. I know future years will hold more savings and healthier lives for our seniors.

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Earlier this month, Phil praised the work of the Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna Organized Crime and Intelligence Unit in arresting six illegal immigrants who were manufacturing fake identification cards.  Phil called the arrests a clear example of why we need to get tough on border security.

“I visited a Point of Entry facility in Nogales, Arizona earlier this year and saw hundreds of illegal documents seized from immigrants attempting to enter our country,” said Phil.  “Document forgery is a growing problem, and a direct threat to the security of our nation.  These fake IDs are part of an illegal underground culture here in America, one that has brought Mexican gangs and organized crime to our community.  I wholeheartedly thank our law enforcement for stopping these criminals in Cobb County.  Now, we must stay committed to getting tough on illegal immigration, both at the border and in Georgia.”

After years of hard work by our dedicated veterans, Phil was elated to announce this month that the VA has agreed to construct a VA Outreach Clinic in Rome.

“This is a tremendous victory for every veteran in Northwest Georgia,” said Phil. “For years, we have been fighting to get our veterans the care they need, close to home. And no matter how many times the VA told us ‘no,’ the people of this community stood together and kept fighting on.  When our veterans signed more than 2,200 petitions for a clinic, I took them to Washington as proof of our need and the strength of our numbers.  When hundreds of veterans attended the VA Day in Rome, we again showed Washington our commitment to getting a clinic.  Our hard work has paid off, and our veterans will finally get the care they need and deserve.   This is one of the most gratifying accomplishments I’ve helped achieve since coming to Congress, and as a physician, I know we have now done right by our veterans.”

The need for a VA clinic in Northwest Georgia is critical, as veterans currently must travel to the overloaded Smyrna or Atlanta facilities to receive care – a trip that can take hours with the Atlanta-area traffic.

“This accomplishment belongs to Northwest Georgia’s veterans,” Phil continued.  “For years, area veteran leaders have mounted a historic effort to bring a clinic to Rome, and like great commanders in wars past, they inspired our troops to stand up and fight for the needs of their friends and neighbors. Our veterans will now get the care they need right here in our community.”

In November, Phil had the honor of hosting John Walters, the Director of National Drug Control Policy and President Bush’s “Drug Czar,” in the 11^th District.  Director Walters discussed Georgia’s progress reducing drug use and announced the designation of Cobb County as part of the Atlanta High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.  The designation will bring an additional $1.1 million in Federal funds to help coordinate law enforcement activities against drug trafficking.

“The battle against drug abuse will not be easily won, but it is critically important to the safety of our children and our community,” said Phil. “One of the largest methamphetamine busts in America took place in Smyrna, Georgia, which goes to show the magnitude of this problem but also our effectiveness in fighting it. Methamphetamine endangers the lives of both abusers and innocent bystanders, and I am proud of the strong stance our law enforcement has taken to eradicate this terrible drug from our neighborhoods.”

Director Walters added, “We know that when we push back against the drug problem in America, it gets smaller.   Over the past four years, there has been a 19 percent decline in the number of young people using drugs.  Thanks to the support of Congressman Phil Gingrey, we will help law enforcement authorities make Georgia even safer by giving them the tools they need to coordinate their efforts against violent drug traffickers.” 

Last month, Phil received a letter from Jessica Knowles, a junior at Haralson County High School, expressing her concern over the methamphetamine crisis raging in Georgia. In her letter, Jessica explained that “…the production of Meth is getting worse each year. I want to try to do something about it.”

Phil was moved by the letter, and seized the opportunity to arrange a meeting between Jessica and the Director of National Drug Control Policy John Walters, who was visiting the 11^th District to discuss drug trafficking.

“I was touched that a high school student was so passionate about protecting her friends from methamphetamine, and I was inspired by Jessica’s willingness to take action,” said Phil.   “Methamphetamine abuse is a dangerous and growing problem in our state, and I am proud of Jessica for standing up against it.”

Click on this link to see a photograph of Director Walters, Jessica and Phil: http://gingrey.house.gov/Photos/?PhotoID=53099.

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