he is introduced by the new head of aarp. >> aarp is proud to stand with you, chairman max baucus, chairman dodd to announce the gap in medicare, the drug coverage gap known as the doughnut hole will be substantially filled for millions of middle income americans as part of health reform. i want to applaud chairman max baucus, senator dodd, who have been champions in this issue. we are honored to stand with both of you. senator max baucus, with your strong leadership on the senate finance committee, with the creativity that led to the development of this very unique solution. we will also support the process and look forward to -- with optimism to the next up. the bottom line, without you chairman, we would not be here today. we offer you all of our thanks. when the president issued his call for all parties to come together to address the issues of health reform, a our peak, representing over 40 million members was proud to be one of the members to offer support. struggling americans who have looked for help in their pocketbooks just to stay healthy, to say that one of their single, largest

but aarp's work is also not done. we will continue to work with you, mr. president, and the house and the senate, to protect people who rely on medicare to further lower drug costs, to have guaranteed access, to coverage for all americans. and together, together we will complete the mission of comprehensive healthcare reform. and we want to thank you, mr. president, for your leadership on this issue. thank you. >> thank you so much. >> i have an opportunity to introduce the leader of the free world, our president, our beloved president, president barack obama. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> first of all i want to thank barry rand for the introduce ducks but also -- for the introduction but also for aarp coming together with us on this issue. last week in my address to the american medical association i spoke about the urgent need for healthcare reform and what will be required to achieve it. one of the things that will be required, i said, was that everyone in our healthcare community is going to have to come together and do their part. in recent da

aarp is responsible for the content of this advertising. >> ok. i think one of the interesting things here, and i would like to get bill and michael's reaction to that, is the idea of using personal stories, because the folks in this room, or these kind of two rooms, whatever they are, know very well that those personal stories are generally what drives people into the mental health advocacy field. what is your reaction to that ad? >> i thought they were fabulous, powerful, and the people they had on camera were really powerful. again, i'm not -- i don't want to be glib, but what i tell people in terms of communicating, i tell people there's a reason jesus told stories. the human brain has been hardwired to remember people and stories, ask there's a reason those pairables are powerful and we talk about them 2,000 years later. it is because we connect with people. and what i beg elected officials to do is to stop talking about hundreds of billions of this and trillions trillions of that, and tell powerful stories that make a point. frequently when

aarp's work is not done.it is our job to protect those who rely on medicare to further lower drug costs and have guaranteed access coverage for all americans. together, we will complete the mission of comprehensive health- care reform. we would like to thank you, mr. president, for your leadership on this issue. thank you. >> i have an opportunity to address the leader of the free world, our president, president barack obama. >> thank you. first of all, i would like to thank you for the introduction, but aarp, the represent -- the organization you represent on this issue today. last week, in my address to the ama, i spoke about the urgent need for health-care reform and what will be required to achieve it. one of the things that will be required is that everyone in our health care community will have to come together and do their part. in recent days, chairman max baucus, who has been doing an outstanding job leading the finance committee on this issue, as well as members of my administration's has been in di

aarp's work is not done. we will continue to work with you, mr. president, and the house and senate and the people who rely on medicare and further lower drug costs, to have guaranteed access for coverage for all americans. together we will complete the mission of comprehensive health care reform and we want to thank you, for your leadership on this issue. thank you. i have the opportunity to introduce the leader of the free world. president barack obama. >> thank you. first of all, i want to thank barry for the introduction and the aarp organization that he is representing on this critical issue. in the last week, in my address to the american medical association, i spoke about the need for health-care reform and what will be needed. i said that everyone in the health-care community is going to have to come together. in recent days, chairman baucus who has been doing an outstanding job, as well as the members of my administration, have been in discussions with the pharmaceutical industry's to look at how to bring down the costs for america's seni

the aarp doesn't make this stuff up. biologics manufacturers, even though aarp said they only need two years of sales to recoup their investment and give them more time than that, so they can make a healthy profit. they should. yet biologics manufacturers are asking for 20 years of patent protection coupled with 12 more years of market exclusivity, again renewed over and over and over again. that's the way they like t the biologics industry wants us to go home and tell our constituents -- wants you to go home to shrks madam president, tell your constituents who have cancer or multiple sclerosis or numerous other conditions now treated by biologics, that if they're lucky, in 24 or 36 years they'll have access to these biologics that are more affordable f we care about patients and fiscal responsibility, we won't allow the biologics industry to bully us into giving them more marketplace protection than any other industry in the planet. but it will take the personal will of members from both sides of the aisle to overcome t

and, i would like everyone, if they would just take a minute, caribe aarp letter. i say to my good friend from georgia while the is reading the letter and i will be happy to wait until he does. this is very important and i really want to work with you on this senator isakson. >> mr. chairman walz senator isakson is having a chance to get up, caught up, having just walked in, let me say i'm more than willing to work with my chairman on the subcommittee. i think that, i understand senator isakson's passion about doing it now. this is the healthcare bill. this is a vehicle that is going and i think there's a concern on his part, even if we came to the same conclusion, would you have the consensus across congress to do this? and i remind all of my colleagues that it could be as simple as the senior going in and their direct it is, do everything to keep me alive you possibly can. this is not parsing this in some term, unless they have thought about it and i think that is what senator isakson is trying to do, is to get individuals on the record so that there is some inst

i am committed to continuing to work with aarp ensure that any reform sweepers are carried out in a way that protects america's seniors who know as well as anyone what is wrong with our health care system and why it is badly in need of reform. and our goal is to reduce punishing inflation in health care costs while improving patient care. to do that, we will have to work together to get rid of waste and efficiencies that made at the bottom line of the insurance industry's but nothing to add to the health of our nation. the pharmaceutical industry has committed to reduce its hold on the health care system by $80 billion over the next 10 years as part of overall health care reform. real health care reform that reduces the spiraling costs of health services and ends -- extends quality, affordable health coverage to all americans will require these kind of amendments throughout the system. drug and insurance companies stand to benefit. when tens of millions more americans have coverage. so we're asking them, in exchange, to make essential concessions to reform the system and help reduce cos

i would sure like to know what aarp thought of this. in terms of from the beneficiary side, before we voted. have you come to a position on the parliamentary -- >> what i would like to suggest, if we might -- >> i understand both compassion and the cost constraints that this suggested. >> let me say to johnny, i think this is -- i like the concept. i think the reasons you have identified it have value. so i would not want to, if we could, this is one of these things we will be at this a number of days here and if we can ask people to go back and take a look at this thing. senator mikulski has a strong interest -- >> could we get aarp's take on this and also, could we get the cbo or gao to tell us the cost of implementation? >> i just would feel better if we had a little more look at this thing. >> mr. chairman, if i could, one minute. >> we want to be clear. this isn't a blow-off. >> i know. i know. i have respect for the questions that you're asking. two or three points that we'll send to you. there's a web-based all 50 states directiv

they are saying in the aarp magazine -- she is paid every two weeks.hey take half of her check every two weeks. host: do you think a solution could come from private industry, or is a public auction needed? caller: i think both. host: let's go to the independent line from missouri. welcome. caller: thank you, i am in favor of a public auction. the way i feel about health care i think every person should have the opportunity to purchase health care. the american taxpayers spend a heck of a lot of money providing insurance for congressman, to the house and senate, other government employees, and so i think that every american should have the same opportunity that our lawmakers have. i think in universal health insurance were there would be different plans are policies, a person could choose, and the premiums paid by individuals should be based on their income. for example, since people pay for government employees, if a center pay is, his premium is five% of his gross income, then everybody who wants -- what a senator pays, everyone who wants to particip

my husband is a disabled veteran, 100% disabled and i have aarp insurance.t is not born to be enough to cover this. host: how long do you think you will be in the hospital? caller: lord, i do not know. i am not well enough to go home yet. host: how old are you? caller: i am 59. host: has thisç been a repeated problem? caller: no, this is the first time i have had to go to the hospital. host: and you are covered? caller: through the department of defense, but it is not enough. host: what do you think? caller: i do not know what to do. i cannot work. my husband cannot work. we get the checks for free. he pays for medicare and i pay for aarp. we are still not making it with our health care. host: you are paying that per month? a caller: >> yes, vermont -- per month. i'm hoping people can use of it because we are veterans. we have a lot of young boys coming back that our veterans and their families are going to be in the same shape that mine is in and they are young. something has got to change. host: thank you, carolyn. we want to update you with the situation

hear what aarp is going to say, hear what a.m.a. will say. for a.m.a., it's a db it's an improvement in the way you pay physicians, even though i didn't write it, it's a pretty darn good new plan. there are benefits plus 40 million or 50 million people who are now uncompensated, if you will, who charity has to take care of, who will be putting money into the system because they'll have insurance. so i think every provider will, even though they're -- even though their per procedure rate may drop, the volume rate and their total revenues may increase over the period of the bill. >> i don't want to necessarily get stuck on one thing, because as you pointed out, there are a lot of moving pieces you have to figure out in terms of cost and financing for the bill, but in general, among the things on the table, are there various kinds of tax increases the committee is looking at for revenue? >> no, there is a -- there is in there, i think it's an 8% of gross payroll charge to employers and that's in a bracket, so that may be 6%, may be 8%, i don't k

has anybody seen the press release from aarp saying this will hurt seniors? or is this political? but doesn't the public option give people lower prices? no. it has already been mentioned. the largest act warle firm in the country did a survey of this asking where is the biggest cost shift coming from? from uninsured to the private sector or from medicaid and medicare to the private sector? the biggest cost shift is coming from medicare to the private sector. think about the human being rouse to this. -- the human being riss to this. congress come at it and complain about the cost in the private sector. and yet they're responsible for it. won't there be lower administrative costs in the public option? no. we had a firm do a study do a few years ago. medicare in the administrative cost. when they talk about the 2% administrative cost in medicare, that's simply what it costs to pay the bills. all the rent on the building, salaries, management, insurance, all of that comes under other parts of the federal budget. and that's what this study did. go through the federal government to fi

if they wanted something like aarp, people in their 50s could get the supplemental. host: thank you for the call. a story in "the washington post" president obama welcome to todd gay patrons. the president saw to assure guessed that he had not abandoned the issues important to them. next is a caller from miami. caller: i am calling from miami and i want the world to know what is happening in honduras. i have been happening -- i want everybody to know that what is going on in honduras right now is beneficial for the country. it was not a coup. it was a judicial order followed by the military. it was backed by congress. it was backed by the attorney general. all of the population is happy with what is going on in honduras. the images you guys see on tv is not a representation of what is really going on. this guy was driving our country -- it was falling apart. everything that is bad was going on in honduras. everybody is happy with what is going on. i think people have to know what the truth is, not just see what is shown on the television because that is not a represe

he has invited the head of the senior citizens average -- advocacy group aarp. they have pledged to spend $80 billion over the next decade to reduce the costs for seniors and pay for a portion of mr. obama's health care legislation. we will have live coverage on c- span. this afternoon, the president will sign legislation letting the dog food and drug administration regulate tobacco. the law allows the fda to reduce nicotine in tobacco products and candy flavorings and black label such as low tar and light. you can see live coverage of that on c-span3. a look at this morning's headlines from today's washington journal. host: 1 spending bill is under their belt, what is ahead? guest: 2 more in the house and one in the senate. a bill to promote tourism and the senate, and a lot of committee work on health care reform. that will take care of the whole week. two bills for appropriations, homeland security funding and the interior environment fund in the house. also the tourism bill in the senate. host: we are covering the health committee markup. this must be the fo

aarp is proud to stand with you, chairman baucus, senator dodd, to announce that the gap in medicare,e drug coverage gap known as the dougnut hole to all of you, will be substantially filled for millions of middle income americans as part of health reform. i want to applaud chairman baucus and senator dodd, who continue to be champions for this issue and have always fought for people who are struggling to make ends meet. we are honored to stand with both of you. senator baucus, it is your strong leadership of the senate finance committee and your creativity which led to the development of this very unique solution. we also support your finance committee's process, and we look forward with

of senator max baucus and the head of a arpey and chris dodd who is taking -- and the head of the aarp. robert points out that the lobby for drug companies, the thomas senecal research at manufacturers association had pledged $80 billion -- the pharmaceutical research and manufacturers association pledged $60 billion. further into the story of drug company lobbyists say that the $80 billion reflected a total savings to the health care system and included unspecified future concessions. some of the money reflects savings to the government, summer flex savings to older americans, but all of the savings would go to beneficiaries. -- some of the savings reflects savings to older americans. we're going to be in your town next week. caller: good. host: what is the situation like? caller: i would like to talk about the banks. we have citizens bank here, at standard and poor lowered their credit rating. they just received money to back them up, and i went there yesterday and all i could offer you was 1.5% of cd's. i think it is ridiculous. a man had retired there who had been there from 2002 w

see with the aarp will say. see what the ama will say. for the ama it is a big improvement in the payment for physicians. it's a marvelous new way to reimburse physicians, even though i did not write it. there are benefits. plus, there are 40 million-50 million people who are uncompensated, who charity has to take care of, will be putting money into the system because they don't have insurance. -- because they have insurance. i think every provider, even though the per procedure rate may drop, the volume rate and their total revenue increases over the time of the bill. >> i don't want to get stuck on one thing. there are a lot of moving pieces to figure out in terms of the cost. but among the things on the table, are there various kinds of tax increases if so you're looking at? >> no. there is i think and 8% gross payroll charge to employers. in that bracket. it may be six, and maybe eight. i don't know where the final number comes. there are no other numbers. in terms of what we do, i think everything is on the table. if you are talking

and as we have got feedback from our public health experts as well as the aarp they thought enzi number 96 was an excellent and outstanding amendment and so do i and i'm happy to accept it. we can accept all of those and it shows how we can find a center on the outcomes research. let me go to some others. senator murkowski has two -- five amendments that she had just in sin effois inserting th where they were. that's murkowski 3, 4, 5, 60 and 61. we are ready to accept one affected trauma programs, this was agreed to also by senator murray. thank you, senator murray. senator roberts, you have an amendment, hhs, you consider unique characteristics of rural hospitals and low volume hospitals when establishing reporting progress on hospital readmissions. again, i think that adds a great insight and dimension that my original framework was backing. i thank you for that. i'm happy to accept that. >> what number was that? >> that's roberts number two. we accept murkowski three, four and five related to indian health, 60 and 61 also on indian health, roberts number two on unique characteristic

well, let's say i have been an aarp member for years, and the kids with their loud rock-and- roll and instant messaging, i just cannot keep up, but this is, kids, get off of my Élan. >> sir, i am an attorney in town. first, i want to congratulate you on your amazing accomplishment and no matter how you slice it, craigslist is incredibly influential and incredibly powerful, so thank you. with that kind of kissing up kind of preface, the adult services/erotic services. saul press you on that, and your response is, in effect, that is what members want us to do. there is an enormous component. do not look to me. that is what members chose, and that is all well and good except, i take it, craigslist is not a democracy and does exercise discretion of when the community voice in government and when it does not, and i wonder what you would say about the tensions. how much should people look to craigslist as a normative actor versus looking at the community as a normative actor? >> i will confess my ignorance of the everyday use of the term "normative," but the deal is we listened to the commu

unanimous consent that my full statement and letters of support from the following organizations -- the aarp, the alzheimer's organizations, the duke university divinity school, institute on care at the end of life, the national hospice and palliative care organization, united health care, aetna and others -- appear in the record immediately following my statement. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. warner: thank you, mr. president. and i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader.

, was on the other side of the political debate, not even at the table 16 years ago, i think where aarp was 16 years ago, i think regardless of what we have or have not learned, i think the process that the president is moving forward with negotiations with all those stakeholders involved is making progress towards long-term reform. i think that is what is important but as i said, there has been a point throughout each of the five months where the pundits, as chip talked about, like to talk about how everything is amiss, off the rails, and dead on arrival. >> people involved in the clinton effort, not just pundits, these are people involved in the clinton effort. >> but not necessarily working each and every day on what we're doing to move that reform forward, this is a step toward meaningful reform that is in itself different than what we had 16 years ago. >> yesterday, senator feinstein said that she or indicated she wasn't satisfied with the intelligence on iraq. -- is the president learning things? >> i don't want to comment on the intelligence process or the specific intelligence t

i am working with the aarp to uphold the commit an. for those of you who took out your pencil and paper, all together, these savings mean we have put about $950 billion on the table. that does not count some of the long-term savings we think will come about from reform from medical i.t, for example. so that stuff is not score will in congressional jargon. the congressional budget office will not count that as savings. so we are saving -- we are setting that aside. we think it will come, but suffer from that, we put $950 billion on the table. taking us almost all the way to covering the full cost of health care reform. in the weeks and months ahead, i look forward to working with congress to make up the difference so that health care reform is fully paid for in a real, accountable way. let me add that this does not count longer term savings. i just want to repeat that. by insisting the reforms we are introducing our deficit-neutral over the next decade, and by making the reforms that will help slow the growth rate of health care costs o

we're paying for -- we get the one insurance free he pays for medicare, that's $90 a month, i pay for aarp, that's almost $300 and we're still not making it with our health care. host: you're paying that per month? caller: yes. a month. host: carolyn we hope you feel better. caller: i'm hoping people can do something. we're veteran,000,000 husband is a veteran. we've got a lot of young boys coming back veterans, their families are going to be in the same shape mine is in and they're young. what's going to happen? we've got to do something. something has to change. host: thank you, carolyn. we cover a lot of british politics, want to update you on the situation with the house speaker, one of the things that happened on monday, the house of commons elected a new speaker, john bercow, he succeeds michael martin a veteran of the labour party, who became the first speaker forced from office in more than 300 years amid claim he is failed to curb the abuse of the reports of the house of commons expenses. mr. bercow vow trode form the expense system for members of the house of commons. irena is ne

i'm working with aarp to uphold that commit. . now for those of you who took out your pencil and paper, altogether these savings mean we've put about $950 billion on the table. . by making the reforms that will help slow the growth rate of healthcare costs over the coming decades, bending the curve, we can look forward to faster economic growth, higher living standards and falling instead of rising budget deficits. i know people are cynical whether we can do this or not. i know there will be disagreements about how to proceed in the days ahead. will is probably healthy debate within the a.m.a. that is good. i also know this. we can't let it moment pass us by. the other day a friend of mine, a congressman, handed me a magazine with a special issue titled "the crisis in american medicine." one article notes soaring charges, another warns about the volume of utilization of services. another asks if we can find a better way than fee for service for paying for medical care. it speaks to many of the challenges we face today. the thing i

premiums for medicare beneficiaries by roughly $43 billion over the next 10 years and i am working with aarp to uphold that commitment. now, for those of you who took out your pencil and paper, altogether the savings mean that we've put about $950 billion on the table. and that doesn't count some of the long term savings that we think will come about from reform, from medical it for example, or increased investment in prevention. so that stuff and congressional jargon is not scornful. the congressional budget office won't count that as savings. so we're saying that a psychic we think that is going to come, but even separate and apart from that we put $950 billion on the table. taking is almost all the way to covering the full cost of health care reform. in the weeks and months ahead, i look forward to working with congress to make up the difference. so that health care reform is fully paid for any real, accountable way. and let me add that this does not count longer-term savings. i just want to repeat that. by insisting that the reforms that we are introducing our deficit neutral over the ne

approved aarp the first time around we did it with the understanding that it was dealing with a credit crisis and a financial meltdown that we were facing around the world, and instead the t.a.r.p. money has gone into these bankrupt companies and once again, the question in of conflict of interest, i am saying there must be no conflict of interest with respect to how the t.a.r.p. money is being spent, so the treasury secretary says well, wearing my hat, looking out for the benefits of general motors i am going to suddenly switch and take my hat as the treasury secretary and determined that some t.a.r.p. money is going to go to relieve my problems as an executive overseeing the auto companies, so those are the two aspects of the addition that i am making two senator alexander's amendment. number one, we are giving the secretary of the treasury the same kind of fiduciary responsibility and therefore exposure that any officer or director would have any corporate opportunity and at the same time we are saying no more t.a.r.p. money mr. secretary, whichever hat you may be wearing gang goes

for medicare beneficiaries by roughly $43 billion over the next 10 years and i am working with the aarp to uphold the commitment. now for those of you who took out a pencil and paper, all together these savings mean that we have put about $950 billion on the table. and that doesn't count some of the long-term savings that we think will, about from reform from medical i.d. for example or increase investment and prevention has so that staff in congressional jargon is not score a goal, the congressional budget office want count that as savings so we are setting that aside. we think that is going to, but even separate and apart from that we put $950 billion on the table. taking us almost all the way to covering the full cost of health care reform. in the weeks and months ahead i look forward to working with congress to make the difference so at health care reform is fully paid for in a real accountable way. and let me add that this does not count logger term savings. i just want to repeat that -- by insisting that the reforms that are introducing our deficit neutral over the next decade. an

it includes over 1,000 medical, public health, faith and community groups from aarp to the american academy of pediatrics. from the southern baptist convention to the islamic society of north america. it's supported by the american lung association, the american heart association, the american cancer society, the groups that are best situated to understand the damage caused by tobacco and to recognize that a renewed f.d.a. can and must take on this new authority. the diversity of support for this bill shows just how critical it is to all americans. tobacco does not discriminate when it robs people of their health, their productivity and their lives. and that's why we must come together to rob tobacco of its fluence -- influence over americans. finally, i want to note this bill has a number of changes to respond to specific concerns that we've heard. in committee consideration of this bill over the past two years we made changes to ensure fairness and flexibility for convenience stores, tobacco growers and small manufacturers. we worked with the -- our republican colleagues to incorporate th

everyone from the american cancer society, which we would expect, the campaign for tobacco-free kids, the aarp and the presbyterian church, just to name a few. they believe that passing this bill will save lives. today, americans benefit from the oversight of the f.d.a. on food what we eat and medicines that we take. that's their jurisdiction. the fact that tobacco is one of the deadliest products in america, the f.d.a. has had no authority to regulate it. this is just not right. and today we can correct that wrong. right now tobacco is exempt from standards that apply to a can of soda or a box of pasta. tobacco makers are exempt from the critical and basic consumer protections such as ingredient disclosure, product testing and restrictions, and restrictions on marketing to children. this legislation gas the f.d.a. the authority to regulate tobacco products. it also requires detailed disclosures of tobacco products' ingredients and restricts tobacco marketing and sales to young people, among other things. and this legislation does all of this in a fiscally responsible way. funding the f.d.a. t

the picture of senator max baucus, also the head of aarp and senator christopher dodd who is taking over for senator ted kennedy in supervising as chairman of the house committee hearings continue this week. it points out the lobby for drug companies, pharmaceutical research manufacturing organization said it pledged $80 billion of 10 years to help reform are troubled health-care system. the commitment came in a deal with the white house and senator max baucus, democrat of montana and chairman of the finance committee. but further in the story, senate aides and drug company lobbyists say the $80 billion reflected total projected savings to the health care system and included unspecified future concessions, besides the drug discounts and the coverage gap. some reflects savings to the government, some reflects savings to older americans, but all the savings from closing the so-called bill mudhole would go to beneficiaries, and not to the government. flint, michigan. good morning. caller: good morning. host: we will be in your town next week. what is the situation like? caller: i would like

i remember talking to bill navelli formerly head of aarp. his membership just doesn't quite understand all what's going on here and we've got to take that bit of information to heart here as we work to make sure the american people understand what it's about as well. thanks, everybody. glad you're doing this. it's so important. thanks for your effort. >> senator, thanks so much. [applause] >> thanks senator baucus. now it's a real honor for me to introduces my cochair for this event, robert rubin. bob joined the clinton administration in 1993 serving as assistant to the president for economic policy and the first director of the national economic council. he also served as our nation's 70th from 1995 and 1999 where he played a leading role in the nation's most important policy debates and also was my boss back then. general from 1999 to 2005 he served in a number of roles including co-chairman of foreign relations and serving on mt. sinai, harvard and other medical groups as well. he's one of the founders of the hamilton project, the economi

but our democratic colleagues stood up here and said, well -- some of them tore up their aarp cards because that senior organization had the audacity to support a republican bill. and then of course they said, well why can't we have a government default plan and why can't the government come in and set the price and say, ok, you know, this is the price, this is the monthly premium for part b, the prescription drug part. and these me-market thieves will not be able to run up the price. and they even suggested that we set the monthly premium at $42 a month. fortunately, my colleagues, that amendment was defeated. and when the premium first came in from the prescription drug plans, the private plans competing with one another for this business, they came in at an average at $24 a month. three years later that has gone up a bit because of inflation, but it's nowhere near $42 a month. so if we don't learn from our history, we're going to repeat the same old mistakes and looks like the democrats with this idea of letting the government come in and run everything and saying that we can't trust the

. -- aarp on trying to figure out, how do we close that doughnut hole. in illinois in fact, out of the entire country, illinois has more seniors who fall into that doughnut hole than anybody else in the country. 32% of our seniors fall into that doughnut hole and very few of them ever come out. so we are working together and we need to do something about helping them and lately as you've heard the pharmaceutical companies are coming out talking about how. so i think we'll be able to come up with a very good compromise on how with we can all work together to help them and i think that we have to think about that. we think all of a sudden, you know, our seniors have medicare or medicare part d and that they're taken care of. nobody thinks about the fact that once you hit a certain point you're on your own until you get to another point. and, you know, there's a lot of money in there that you're going to have to pay on your own, besides the cost of the premium. you know, so there's a lot that we have to think of and at the same time i think there's a lot of

i remember talking to the former head of aarp and that is one thing we learned quickly is the membership doesn't understand all that is going on here and we've got to take that bit of information to heart.