June 28, 2000

Rules Committee Readies Bipartisan
Prescription Drug Plan For House Consideration

WASHINGTON - House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-CA) announced the Rules Committee has approved the floor procedures for The Medicare Rx 2000 Act, legislation designed to strengthen Medicare and provide prescription drug benefits to all senior and disabled Americans.

"We all know how important Medicare is to the American people, and we are all concerned that our parents, grandparents, and older friends get the health care they need to live full lives," said Dreier. "In that vein, the Republican Congress passed a budget in April that set aside $40 billion for an affordable, voluntary prescription drug plan that would be available to all of America's seniors, regardless of income. This legislation makes good on that commitment."

The Medicare Rx 2000 Act, H.R. 4680, provides $39.7 billion in new mandatory spending over five years to establish a voluntary prescription drug plan and a new Medicare outpatient drug benefit. The legislation will:

• Reduce costs to all beneficiaries by providing group discounts on out of pocket drug expenses;
• Protect low-income seniors who currently lack coverage, and provide those who already have coverage with a number of affordable options to best meet their needs; and,
• Allow those seniors already satisfied with their coverage to keep it, rather than forcing them into a large, government controlled plan.

"Republicans have developed a sensible, bipartisan voluntary Medicare prescription drug plan that builds on our world-class health care system by expanding consumer choice, providing catastrophic coverage, protecting low income seniors, and reducing out of pocket expenses," said Dreier.

The Medicare Rx 2000 Act will be debated under a rule which allows Democrats to offer an alternative plan that is in compliance with the Budget Resolution passed by Congress, the same requirements that the Republican plan must meet. Further information about the rule is available at:http://www.house.gov/rules/.

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