BILL REQ. #:  S-2114.1 

Read first time 04/18/2003.   Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

     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:
     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, The use of prescription drugs improves the quality of care and helps patients live healthier, longer, and more productive lives; while keeping them out of more costly acute care settings in the long term; and
     WHEREAS, The increased use of new and improved prescription drugs has changed the delivery of health care in the United States since Medicare was enacted, and while two-thirds of the Medicare population have some form of prescription drug coverage, although it many times is inadequate, one-third of Medicare beneficiaries have no coverage at all; and
     WHEREAS, Congress did not enact a drug benefit in the Medicare program, therefore the program is inadequate in providing the elderly and disabled the most appropriate drug therapies, preventing the delivery of quality health care at an affordable cost; and
     WHEREAS, States have had to use their own resources to ease the burden of their elderly and disabled Medicare populations and effectively assume an unfunded, informal mandate;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully request that the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate enact universal, efficient, and effective outpatient prescription drug coverage as part of the federal Medicare program.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.