Mulligan: House Democrats Turning Their Backs on Seniors

March 1, 2001

Des Plaines… House Democrats Wednesday struck a blow against seniors struggling to pay for needed prescription drugs, according to State Representative Rosemary Mulligan (R-Des Plaines). Despite testimony from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the Democrat members of a House subcommittee killed legislation to expand the nationally renown State Circuit Breaker Program.

"It is absolutely outrageous that the Democrats would play political games with the health of our seniors at risk," said Mulligan. "This bill would have helped thousands of additional seniors in affording their rapidly rising prescription drug costs."

The bill, designed with the assistance of the AARP and co-sponsored by Mulligan, would have added antibiotics and medications for osteoporosis and the treatment of cancer side effects to the list of medications available for the program. It also would have increased the income eligibility level from $28,480 to $35,000 for a married couple.

According to Legislative Liaison for the AARP Donna Ginther, passage of legislation correcting technical problems with the program and its expansion is the top priority of the AARP this spring.

"We believe the same thing we believed last year. We have a good program in Illinois and it's called the Circuit Breaker Program, and what we need to do is concentrate on enhancing the program and making it available to as many seniors as need it," said Ginther.

Added Mulligan, "We worked very hard last year to expand this much-heralded program but we feel there is still room for improvement. Not only would this bill have benefited more seniors in Illinois, but it would have fixed some of the program's current technical problems."