WASHINGTON - December 19 - On January 1, 2006, the new Medicare prescription drug program will begin. As a forerunner to the new program, Families USA will release the first comprehensive survey of plan-by-plan drug prices under the new program.

The survey focuses on the 20 most-prescribed drugs for seniors. For each of those 20 drugs, the survey compares the best prices made available through the various Medicare drug plans versus the best prices secured by the VA. It does so for both brand-name and generic drugs.

Among the key findings in the survey that will be provided at the survey’s release are:

• For 19 out of the top 20 drugs, the VA price is considerably cheaper.
• The median price difference between Medicare plan and VA prices is 48 percent.

WHEN: Wednesday, December 21, 2005

TIME: 12:00 P.M.

WHERE: National Press Club – Murrow Room

WHO: Ron Pollack, Exec. Director of Families USA *U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

*Not confirmed

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