| Senator
Ensign is committed to providing access to quality health
care for our nation's senior citizens. The Prescription
Discount Card for Seniors saved 6.4 million seniors 12 to
21% off the retail price of most brand name drugs and up
to 75% off generic drugs during the time it was in use.
Senator
Ensign has also taken the lead on efforts to provide greater
access for Medicare recipients to physical therapy, occupational
therapy and speech-language pathology services. His Medical
Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007
would repeal the Medicare beneficiary therapy caps that,
if put into effect, would prevent many seniors from receiving
therapy. Senator Ensign feels it is irresponsible to set
an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary
can receive. It ignores the health needs of our senior population—especially
the oldest and sickest.
|
 Therapy
is crucial for the successful rehabilitation of seniors suffering
from conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease
and congenital heart failure. Whatever limits are placed on
their therapy options are also placed on their chances for
recovery. That is why he has called on his colleagues to repeal
this cap. Last year, Senator Ensign advocated for an extension
to the exceptions process that Congress passed in 2005. He
introduced the Securing
Effective and Necessary Individual Outpatient Rehabilitation
Services Act (SENIORS Act) to extend the therapy
cap exceptions process for one year. As a result of his efforts,
The Tax
Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (Public Law
No. 109-432) included language to extend the exceptions process
through 2007. While this provides for a temporary solution,
Senator Ensign looks forward to working with his colleagues
to find a more permanent solution to this problem.
|
|
Senator Ensign has also worked to maintain access to high
quality mammography services for every woman in America. The
Mammography Quality Standards Reauthorization Act,
which he introduced, was signed into law by President Bush.
Senator Ensign recognizes that the best tools in the fight
against breast cancer are education and early detection. Ensuring
that quality mammograms are available plays a key role in
detecting breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages. |
|
Press
Releases:
| December
5, 2007 |
|
ENSIGN:
E-PRESCRIBING IS A SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO SAVE LIVES,
LOWER COSTS |
| December
5, 2007 |
|
ENSIGN'S
BILL WOULD PUT MEDICARE ON STRONGER FINANCIAL GROUND
|
| July
10, 2007 |
|
ENSIGN
SECURES SEAT ON FINANCE COMMITTEE |
| February
5, 2007 |
|
ENSIGN:
FULL FUNDING FOR SOUTHERN NEVADA VETS' MEDICAL CENTER INCLUDED
IN BUDGET |
| January
31, 2007 |
|
ENSIGN
BILL PROVIDES RELIEF TO SENIORS |
|
Related
Articles:
| May
20, 2008 |
|
PCMA's
NEW AD CAMPAIGN: E-PRESCRIBING IS READY NOW
(PRNewswire-USNewswire) |
| April
15, 2008 |
|
MCCAIN
PROPOSES MEDICARE DRUG BENEFIT CHANGES (Washington Post) |
| March
11, 2008 |
|
MEDICARE
PRESCRIPTION (National Review Online) |
| November
1, 2007 |
|
IN
CASE YOU MISSED IT: MEDICARE LIMIT OF $1,780 SHOULD END, SAYS
ENSIGN (Las Vegas Review-Journal) |
| February
2, 2007 |
|
APTA
Applauds Introduction of Medicare Therapy Cap Repeal Bill;
Maryland Senator Ben Cardin Sponsors Bill (PRNewswire-USNewswire) |
|
MORE
NEWS ON SENIOR ISSUES>>>
|
