LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT

PREVENT GOVERNMENT RATIONING OF LIFESAVING TREATMENT AND DRUGS UNDER MEDICARE

A Senate-House Conference Committee, in the context of a bill to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare, is now making decisions that could affect whether older Americans live, or die because they are prevented from using their own money to avoid involuntary denial of lifesaving medical treatment and drugs. (See front page story for details.)

URGENT: Please contact your representative in the U.S. Congress with this basic message:

In order to protect senior citizens' lives, we must ensure their right to get unrationed medical care and an unrationed prescription drug benefit under Medicare. We must not prohibit older Americans from adding their own money, if they wish, to get unrationed insurance. Please sign Congressman Sessions' letter to the House conferees supporting the National Right to Life position against rationing in Medicare.

* Because of the tight time constraints and post-9/11 security screening requirements, postal mail is unlikely to be effective. Instead:

* You can send an e-mail by going to www.nrlc.org, clicking on the Medicare link, and following the links to take action; and/or

* You can call your representative's district office (see local phone book) or go through the Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121.