John White, Candidate for the United States Congress in Maryland's Third Congressional District, Leads Change for Maryland Healthcare

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55 million prescriptions were filled in Maryland last year. By having the cost of prescriptions lowered to $4, Maryland residents, including those unfairly and disproportionately uninsured such as African Americans, Hispanics, and the one in five children now living in poverty, can now save extraordinary amounts of money and be able to fill life saving prescriptions.

Annapolis, MD (PRWEB) November 1, 2006

Last month John White made a visit to Wal-Mart Corporate Headquarters in Bentonville Arkansas and spoke at their Saturday morning meeting about the importance of $4.00 prescriptions for all Americans, noting the skyrocketing healthcare costs and need for business leaders to help. Mr. White commended Wal-Mart's CEO Lee Scott for the great work rolling this $4 program out in Florida, and as Maryland was not on the list of States to be added to the plan, requested that Wal-Mart reconsider and bring this new and innovative program to Maryland. Today we celebrate victory for all of Maryland, because now anyone, including the 800,000 uninsured and the 600,000 senior citizens that fall into the Medicare "doughnut hole," can purchase $4.00 prescriptions in Maryland Wal-Mart stores.

On September 30, 2006, recognizing that Maryland would not be selected as one of the states to receive the $4 prescription plan, John White saw a need for something to be done. So using his business contacts, he made a few calls, jumped on a plane and flew down to Bentonville, Arkansas to speak directly to the CEO of Wal-Mart, Lee Scott. Mr. White, knowing the severity of the need of this program through listening to the concerns of his Maryland constituents, looked Mr. Scott square in the eye and asked for Maryland to please be included in the list of early states to roll out this wonderful life saving $4 prescription program. Less then a month later, Wal-Mart announced that Maryland would, in fact, be added to the list of early states to receive the $4 prescription program.

In response to Wal-Mart's announcement this week John White stated, "This is fantastic news. Thanks to Wal-Mart, today over 600,000 Maryland seniors will have immediate help with the Medicare Part D 'doughnut hole.' This is a great day for any Marylander struggling with skyrocketing healthcare costs."

Mr. White went on to say "55 million prescriptions were filled in Maryland last year. By having the cost of prescriptions lowered to $4, Maryland residents, including those unfairly and disproportionately uninsured such as African Americans, Hispanics, and the one in five children now living in poverty, can now save extraordinary amounts of money and be able to fill life saving prescriptions."

The benefits from Wal-Mart's $4 prescription program are enormous. Here are some of the facts:

• In Maryland 800,000 people (14% of the state's total population) have no insurance. The new $4 prescription program now provides a solution for those 800,000 people who may presently avoid filling these life saving prescriptions and remain untreated.
• Maryland's poor children (28% of those with no insurance), and African Americans (36% of those with no insurance) make up a disproportionate share of those uninsured. Nationally only 15% of those uninsured are African American.
• While only 7% of the population in Maryland, Hispanics, also make up a disproportionate 19% of those uninsured.
• Especially important to seniors, the $4 prescription program will help alleviate a major challenge for those 600,000 who have fallen into the coverage gap in their Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, also known as the "doughnut hole". These seniors now find themselves responsible for paying 100% of prescription drug costs between $2,250 and $5,100.
• In 2005 Maryland pharmacies filled more than 55 million prescriptions at a retail cost of $3.7 billion. Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients as their "brand-name" counterparts and are equally effective, but cost significantly less.
• As an example of the estimated savings to residents, just 3 of the 143 drugs rolled out in Florida last month are estimated to save Florida residents over $5 million next year alone.

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

To find out more about this historic event, and learn more about the details of the program, visit http://www.johnwhiteforcongress.com.

For all press inquiries, please contact Alisa Greenwood at 410.241.7903.

Paid for and approved by John White for Congress.

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