Senator Kent Conrad | North Dakota

Conrad seeks to improve prescription drug benefit for seniors

Senator Conrad introduced his Medicare Mend legislation on April 22, 2004 in order to improve the recently-created Medicare prescription drug benefit. Senator Conrad's legislation makes the drug benefit more accessible, stable and affordable. Preliminary estimates show the bill could reduce the cost of the Medicare program by as much as $33 billion, a savings for taxpayers. The initial Medicare legislation was a "good first step," though far from perfect, Senator Conrad said. Besides the prescription drug benefit for low-income seniors, the new law includes provisions to increase Medicare reimbursement to rural hospitals, ambulance services and home health care providers. Over the next decade, the rural Medicare provisions will mean about $170 million for North Dakota health care providers, Senator Conrad said. The senator's new Medicare Mend bill will mean a substantial improvement for seniors, meaning better healthcare outcomes, for an overall savings for taxpayers.

Senator Conrad was in a Grand Forks drugstore to unveil his Medicare Mend legislation. Both the North Dakota Pharmaceutical Association and the North Dakota AARP have expressed support for provisions in Senator Conrad's bill, which seeks to make the prescription drug benefit more stable, affordable and accessible to seniors, for a savings of billions of dollars.

Rural ambulance squads like the Valley Ambulance and Rescue Squad in Grafton will benefit from greater Medicare reimbursement rates established by the new Medicare improvement legislation adopted by Congress. Senator Conrad, who authored the rural Medicare provisions to increase Medicare reimbursement to rural health care providers, voted for the bill. The rural provisions will mean at least another $170 million in additional Medicare funds for North Dakota over the next decade. Senator Conrad visited dozens of rural hospitals and health providers, like the Valley Ambulance and Rescue Squad, in North Dakota this summer.

2004 Medicare MEND Bill Statements

Facts About the Medicare Mend Bill

Senator Conrad explains his Medicare Mend Bill (.mp3)

Floor Statement on the Medicare Improvement Act

Press Release on the Introduction of the Medicare Mend Bill

2003 Medicare Bill Statements

Facts about the 2003 Medicare Bill for North Dakota

Conrad talks about why he voted for the Medicare Bill (.mp3)

Floor Statement on the Medicare Vote

Conrad Supporting Medicare Bill Press Release