	Medicare does not currently cover prescription drugs. Drug costs are growing at an alarming rate almost three times the rate of other health care costs.
Many older people are finding it difficult to keep up with this out of pocket expense.

	Prescription Drug	Percentage of Drug	Percentage of Heath
	Increases of Expenditures	Expenditures	Expenditures
year	( in Billions )
1998	$90.60	15.40%	5.60%
1997	$78.50	14.00%	4.70%
1996	$68.90	12.90%	4.60%
1995	$61.00	10.60%	4.80%
1994	$55.20	9.00%	5.50%
1993	$50.60	8.70%	7.40%

Both Democrats and Republicans agree citizens over 65 need Medicare coverage for prescription drugs. Even though they see there is a need to expand benefits to cover prescription drugs, they are a miles apart providing such needed coverage.

Current Retiree Coverage for Drugs

Currently, prescription drugs are covered by HMOs, PPOs, and by employer health insurance. Medicare covers very little in the way of prescription drugs for most beneficiaries. Low-income beneficiaries may have coverage coverage through Medicaid for the cost of prescription drugs. All other retired people will have to pay for expensive coverage through insurance plans.

Consumer Reports Rating For Supplemental Health Policies

If you're looking to plug the gaps in your Medicare coverage with a supplemental insurance policy or a Medicare HMO, here's some good news: Seniors in most major cities have a good selection of these two major health-care options. See Special Consumer Interest Reports...the Ratings cover 559 Medicare-supplement policies and 273 Medicare HMOs for 30 cities. The Ratings will be included in a book, "The Consumer Reports Complete Guide to Health Services for Seniors," to be published in January by Three Rivers Press.

The National Economic Council issued a report America�s Seniors and Medicare.

The NEC analyzed the current Medicare system, cost and availability of drug coverage for older people. Today, people over 65 have only three options for prescription drugs coverage. A health plan that is offered by their former employer, a Medicare supplemental HMOs health plan that offers drug coverage or a Medigap plan, which includes prescription drug coverage.

The elderly find it difficult to obtain health coverage for prescription drugs as you see in this study. Very few former employers offer health plans to their retirees. Medicare supplemental HMOs that have drug coverage is not available in all geographic areas. The last option is a lowest-cost Medigap plan with prescription drug coverage. This is called an "H" plan, however many states do not offer this type of plan. This plan also includes a cap for prescription drug benefits.

	Companies Offering Retiree Health Coverage	Medigap Plan With Drug Coverage	Medicare HMOs With Prescription Drug Coverage
State	A	B	C
Alabama	19%	$1,488	N/A
Alaska	N/A	N/A	N/A
Arizona	22%	N/A	94%
Arkansas	14%	$1,896	N/A
California	19%	N/A	93%
Colorado	25%	$1,620	83%
Connecticut	24%	$2,484	97%
Delaware	N/A	$1,440	60%
DC	N/A	N/A	100%
Florida	20%	$2,004	82%
Georgia	24%	$2,580	37%
Hawaii	29%	N/A	100%
Idaho	N/A	N/A	29%
Illinois	25%	$1,572	63%
Indiana	21%	N/A	38%
Iowa	17%	$1,368	N/A
Kansas	21%	$1,512	22%
Kentucky	20%	N/A	28%
Louisiana	24%	N/A	52%
Maine	20%	$2,364	62%
Maryland	23%	N/A	81%
Massachusetts	25%	N/A	97%
Michigan	28%	$1,992	54%
Minnesota	19%	N/A	N/A
Mississippi	17%	$1,680	N/A
Missouri	18%	$1,632	61%
Montana	N/A	$1,332	N/A
Nebraska	22%	$1,332	N/A
Nevada	20%	$1,716	86%
New Hampshire	N/A	$1,260	48%
New Jersey	20%	N/A	100%
New Mexico	20%	$1,692	52%
New York	24%	$1,908	80%
North Carolina	22%	$1,500	N/A
North Dakota	N/A	$1,464	N/A
Ohio	28%	$1,572	83%
Oklahoma	22%	$1,344	75%
Oregon	21%	$1,428	53%
Pennsylvania	22%	$1,704	81%
Rhode Island	N/A	$1,284	92%
South Carolina	21%	$1,704	N/A
South Dakota	N/A	$1,356	N/A
Tennessee	24%	N/A	14%
Texas	19%	$1,488	69%
Utah	21%	$1,356	N/A
Vermont	N/A	$1,860	N/A
Virginia	23%	$1,176	30%
Washington	17%	$1,908	59%
West Virginia	19%	$1,392	N/A
Wisconsin	23%	N/A	42%
Wyoming	N/A	$1,476	N/A
TOTAL	22%	$1,632	61%

Tips on writing letters to Congress members

Here are a few things to keep in mind when writing to a Congress member:

Your letter must be sent in now to reach your Congress member when he or she considers the issue.
The letter should specifically ask for prescription drug coverage for our seniors.
If you have a personal story, tell it! Legislators need to know why this issue is Important and why it will benefit the seniors.
Keep it short and simple and go right to the point.
You can use the following address to send a written letter:

Your Senator's name
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Or
Your Representative's name
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

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