IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 802 

Encouraging all eligible Medicare beneficiaries who have not yet elected to 

enroll in the new Medicare Part D benefit to review the available options 

and to determine whether enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug 

plan best meets their current and future needs for prescription drug 

coverage. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 9, 2006 

Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 

the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Encouraging all eligible Medicare beneficiaries who have not 

yet elected to enroll in the new Medicare Part D benefit 

to review the available options and to determine whether 

enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug plan best 

meets their current and future needs for prescription 

drug coverage. 

Whereas Medicare now offers a prescription drug benefit for 

its beneficiaries, known as Medicare Part D; 

Whereas more than 35,900,000 Medicare eligible individuals 

are receiving prescription drug coverage, of which there 

are more than 27,000,000, including a substantial numVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:14 May 12, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR802.IH HR802

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•HRES 802 IH

ber of low-income and minority beneficiaries, receiving 

coverage through the new benefit; 

Whereas 8,100,000 beneficiaries have enrolled in stand alone 

Medicare prescription drug plans; 

Whereas estimates indicate that the average beneficiary will 

save more than $1,100 this year alone by enrolling in a 

Medicare prescription drug plan; 

Whereas the average monthly premium for enrolling in a 

Medicare prescription drug plan is now just $25 per 

month, which is far below the initial estimate of $37 per 

month; 

Whereas recent surveys of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in 

Medicare prescription drug plans indicate that beneficiaries are satisfied with their coverage; 

Whereas advocacy groups including the AARP, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, the National Medical Association, and the National Council on Aging have all sponsored enrollment events designed to encourage eligible 

beneficiaries to enroll in Medicare prescription drug 

plans; 

Whereas Area Agencies on Aging, State Health Insurance 

Programs (SHIPs), and other local and community organizations are available to provide seniors with assistance 

and answer their questions about how to select the Medicare prescription drug plan that best meets their needs; 

Whereas pharmacists are on the front line in delivering prescriptions to Medicare beneficiaries and continue to be instrumental in providing valuable information and assistance about the new benefit; 

Whereas in recent months Members of Congress have hosted 

hundreds of events and the Secretary of Health and 


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•HRES 802 IH

Human Services, the Administrator of the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other Administration 

officials have sponsored thousands of outreach and enrollment events, to educate seniors regarding the new prescription drug benefit; 

Whereas the deadline for enrollment in the new prescription 

drug plan without being subject to any late enrollment 

penalty is May 15, 2006; and 

Whereas editorial writers and opinion leaders across the Nation have recognized the importance of an enrollment 

deadline because it encourages beneficiaries to make a 

decision about enrolling: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives encour2 ages all Medicare beneficiaries who are not yet enrolled 

3 in Part D to review carefully all of the options that are 

4 available to them and to determine whether enrollment in 

5 a Medicare prescription drug plan best meets their current 

6 and future needs for prescription drug coverage. 

Æ 


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