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Washington D.C. Office:
2244 Rayburn House
Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202)225-4211

District Office:
8525 Northwest 53rd
Terrace Suite 102
Miami, Florida 33166
Phone: (305)470-8555
Fax: (305)470-8575
 
 
Healthcare

Affordable healthcare should be available to all Americans. While there is debate in Washington on how best to achieve this, I support legislation to give patients greater choice in selecting their healthcare coverage. I support increasing healthcare plan competition to benefit consumers as seen in the federal Employee Health Benefit Program, and expansion of Medical Savings Accounts (MSA's). Also, I support the Fair Care for the Uninsured Act, that would provide individuals with a tax credit equal to the typical cost of health insurance, to help pay for health insurance.

For our nation's seniors, I will work to ensure Medicare provides the best possible care. We have a moral obligation to fulfill Medicare's promise of health care security for America's seniors -- and we will. We must build upon the strong foundation that has served us so well since 1965 and protect and improve Medicare so that it is best able to meet the needs of our seniors in this new century.

On November 22, 2003, the House of Representatives, with my strong support, passed the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003 (H.R 1). The prescription drug program in this act represents the most important expansion of benefits for our elderly, since the creation of Medicare in 1965.

H.R. 1 provides real relief for seniors; those who now pay full retail prices will see their prescription drug spending reduced by as much as 25 percent, and their overall out-of-pocket spending will fall by as much as 77 percent in exchange for a premium of about $35 per month. Low-income seniors will have most of their prescription drug costs covered by the new benefit.

Prescription Drug Benefit Beginning in 2006

• Seniors with incomes of up to $10,294 ($13,250 per couple), will pay only $1 for generic prescriptions and $3 for brand name medicines.

• Those with incomes of up to $13,896.90 ($17,887.50 per couple), will pay only $2 for generic medications and $5 for brand names.

• Seniors with incomes of up to $15,441, (19,875 per couple) will pay only a minimal monthly premium, an initial deductible of $50, and then only 15% of their prescription drug costs up to $3,600, after which they will only pay $2 for generic drugs, $5 for brand names.

• All other seniors will have the option of paying a $250 deductible, after which 75% of their first $2,250 in expenses will be paid for by Medicare. After $3,600 in out of pocket costs, the program will pay almost all their drug expenses.

For our children, specifically those who do not receive insurance through their parents' employer, I support states receiving federal matching funds through the Medicaid program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Unfortunately, immigration reforms in 1996 banned legal immigrant children from receiving these federal funds. I believe this is totally unacceptable, as these are some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Therefore, I have sponsored H.R. 1689, the Legal Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act. My legislation, which has the support of over 200 national, state, and local organizations, would restore the states' option to obtain federal matching funds to provide health care for this extraordinarily fragile population.

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