We must lower the cost of prescription drugs for our seniors. I have been a leader of HR 664, which would use the 39 million participants in Medicare as a leveraged tool of volume purchasing to push the prices of drugs downward. USA seniors should not be footing the highest bills. This is an important first step, and I am looking at other proposals as well. More people live longer and we must work hard to make sure quality of life equals longevity of life.
Most people prefer home care, and it is less costly.
We must end institutional bias that public and private insurers have. Long-term care is a priority issue, and the development of insurance to fund a complete range of services must be addressed. The taxpayers already pay for more than half of the long-term care bill. We can be more focused and efficient in our approach. Medicaid, Medicare and other federal programs must address long-term care as a priority and not a footnote.