H-0734.1  _______________________________________________

                     HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4003

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Marine, Darneille, Skinner, Cody, Ballasiotes, Schual‑Berke, Campbell, Conway, O'Brien, Haigh, Kenney, Ruderman, Kagi and Santos

Read first time 01/19/2001.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Requesting the addition of a prescription drug benefit to Medicare.

    TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, Health care has changed enormously since the creation of the Medicare program and prescription medications play an ever-growing role in the practice of medicine; and

    WHEREAS, The role of prescription medications will only increase due to the development of new medications, specifically, medications that treat the main medical conditions that affect senior citizens:  Heart disease, cancer, and stroke; and

    WHEREAS, A significant portion of senior citizens do not have and  cannot afford prescription medication insurance coverage; and

    WHEREAS, The cost of prescription medication continues to increase and a growing number of seniors are finding it difficult to afford  these medications;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the 107th Congress of the United States of America pass legislation to add a prescription drug benefit to the Medicare program in order to give senior citizens access to necessary and life-giving medication.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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