Lower drug costs for seniors by closing the Medicare prescription drug "doughnut hole" and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices - 27% of Idaho's Medicare beneficiaries fell into the "doughnut hole"- stuck paying 100% of their Rx costs. Provide benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities - Idaho continues to cut budgets for these critical safety-net programs. Provide affordable health insurance options for those who don't have insurance or can't afford it - 221,000 Idaho residents are uninsured, 88% have jobs (75% have full-time jobs), but costs are simply too high for many.Reduce waste, fraud, abuse and inefficiency in the Medicare program. Require Medicare and insurance companies to provide free preventive services such as screenings for diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. Prevent insurers from denying affordable coverage to anyone because of their age, gender or health.Limit how much insurance companies can make people pay out-of-pocket.

"It's time for Idaho's members of Congress to step up to the plate on health care reform - this issue will only get worse with inaction," added Wordelman.

SOURCE AARP Idaho