Today, George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, spoke at a summit celebrating the 15th anniversary of Medicare Part D. The event was hosted by MAPRx – a coalition convened by the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) consisting of more than 55 patient, family caregiver and health professional organizations committed to strengthening and protecting Medicare Part D.
“Adding a drug benefit to Medicare based on competitive principles was one of my Administration’s signature achievements,” President Bush said. “Medicare Part D continues to play an important role for millions of Americans who rely on it to get medications they need at an affordable cost. I was pleased to take part in today’s summit celebrating the program’s 15th anniversary.”
“President Bush played a leading role in the inception, passage, and implementation of Medicare Part D,” said Sandra C. Raymond, CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America. “As a result of his vision and leadership, this essential program continues to improve the lives of millions of Americans every day. We are grateful for the President’s insights into what it took to develop and pass this monumental achievement.”
Enacted in 2003, Medicare Part D provides access to prescription drug coverage for America’s seniors and people with disabilities, including those who suffer from rare or chronic diseases. Today, more than 43 million Medicare recipients – nearly one in eight Americans – benefit from this bipartisan achievement.
MAPRx convened policymakers, health care experts, and patient advocates to participate in the half-day event on September 18 in Washington, D.C. to discuss current challenges facing this critical program and how to strengthen it to help protect current and future beneficiaries.
To learn more about the rest of the day’s programming, click here.
