| May 16, 2006 |
RAMSTAD SPONSORS LEGISLATION TO EXTEND ENROLLMENT DEADLINE FOR MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT
WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Health Subcommittee member Jim Ramstad (R-MN) today announced that he is sponsoring legislation to extend the deadline for enrolling in the Medicare prescription drug benefit.
Under current law, most seniors and people with disabilities who are eligible for Medicare will face late enrollment penalties if they failed to sign up for the prescription drug benefit by May 15, 2006.
“While I am pleased that so many seniors have signed up for this important new benefit and are already saving money, I’m convinced that the complexity of the program and the early implementation problems make it necessary to give seniors more time to enroll,” said Ramstad.
“This benefit can help seniors save money on their prescription drugs and I don’t want to see seniors penalized because they did not have the time or resources to enroll by May 15th,” said Ramstad.
Ramstad, a member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, is joining Health Subcommittee Chair Nancy Johnson (R-CT) in introducing legislation to extend the Medicare deadline through the end of the year.