Berlin, WI -- U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today highlighted the importance of the Older Americans Act for Wisconsin's seniors, and called for the Act's reauthorization at his Listening Session in Green Lake County. He also emphasized his support for a bill to allow Medicare beneficiaries to purchase prescription drugs at the low prices already available to pharmaceutical companies' favored customers, such as the federal government, hospital chains and managed care entities.

"The Older Americans Act provides our senior citizens with support networks that enhance their lives, and with nutrition programs that improve their health," Feingold said. "Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act will help ensure that senior centers, and the creative programs they offer, get the support they need."

The Older Americans Act helps seniors maintain their independence and well-being in a variety of ways. The Act funds vital nutrition programs that provide meals at senior centers and delivers them to individual homes, helping millions of seniors live healthier lives. It also funds the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which investigates complaints made by or on behalf of seniors who are residents of long-term care facilities, and supports home care and elder abuse prevention services.

Feingold also discussed legislation he is supporting that could lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors. "The absence of prescription drug coverage in Medicare means staggering out-of-pocket expenses for Wisconsin seniors," said Feingold. "This bill could make a dramatic difference for seniors who are struggling to cover the costs of their prescription medications,"

Feingold is an original cosponsor of The Prescription Drug Fairness for Seniors Act of 1999, which would allow all pharmacies that serve seniors to purchase prescription drugs at these lower rates. Feingold explained that small, owner-operated community pharmacies that serve many Wisconsin seniors lack the purchasing power of the pharmaceutical companies' favored customers and have to pay higher prices for prescription medication. Those higher prices are then passed on to the seniors who purchase them. That, coupled with the lack of Medicare coverage for this medicine, means that the majority of Wisconsin seniors have little access to affordable prescription drugs.

Feingold's 29th Listening Session of 1999, and the 461st since he was first elected in 1992, was held at the Berlin Senior Center, beginning at 9 a.m. Feingold renewed his pledge to hold these sessions in each of the state's 72 counties every year after keeping his promise to do so during his last term.