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Senior Citizen & Baby Boomer Politics
Boomers, Seniors Ready to Vote and High Drug Prices
an Issue says AARP Survey
Senior drug prices
climbing at 6.3% a year, generics basically flat
September 19, 2006 – A survey of senior citizens
and baby boomers (age 42 and over) has found 74 percent saying the price
of drugs will be a "voting issue" in the up-coming elections. It also
found 60 percent of those 60 and over saying they always vote. This
voter survey was released yesterday by AARP, as it also released the
latest survey of drug prices showing the most commonly used medications
for older adults rose an average of 6.3 percent in the 12 months ending
with June.
The best news in the latest AARP quarterly
Watchdog, which monitors drug prices, is that on average manufacturers
of 75 generic drugs widely used by people age 50 and up increased prices
by a relatively low 0.4%.
The bad news is the average manufacturer price
increase for brand name drugs continues to outpace the annual 3.8% rate
of general inflation for that same period.
Leading the pack of medications with the highest
year-to-date changes were Aventis' Ambien 5 mg (13.3 %), Boehringer
Ingelheim's Combivent 120-20 mcg/act (12%) and Atrovent Inhaler 18
mcg/act (12%), Aventis’ Ambien 10 mg (9.9%) and GlaxoSmithKline’s
Wellbutrin 150 mg (9.4%).
Aventis led the brand name manufacturers in average
6 month price increases, charging 7.7% more for their medications that
were part of the study sample. Those with the lowest price increases, on
average, were Monarch and Takeda (0.0%) and Lilly (2.5%).
"Frustration over this issue will lead to action,"
said AARP Senior Managing Director of Government Relations David Sloane,
citing a new AARP election "pulse poll."
Voters ages 42 and over, the most likely to cast
ballots in November, defined prescription drug affordability as a major
concern. The new AARP election "pulse poll" found that this issue rises
to the top of domestic issues for November.
"Although millions in Medicare are now saving with
the help of their Medicare drug plans, those in the coverage gap are
paying on their own and know how expensive their medications have
become. In addition, nearly seven million Americans ages 50-64 have no
health insurance, are paying full freight, and need relief," explained
Sloane.
AARP Supports Senate Bill Allowing Imported
Drugs
One way to provide some price relief to consumers
of all ages is to make the importation of prescription drugs both safe
and legal. AARP strongly supports S. 334, a bill introduced by Senators
Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia Snowe (R-MA), that would achieve that
goal.
In an ad campaign launched in 14 states this week,
AARP is calling on those concerned about affordable medications to
contact their U.S. Senators urging them to support the Dorgan-Snowe drug
importation legislation.
Sloane said, "We have our best opportunity to put a
dent in rising prescription drug costs. The Dorgan-Snowe bill that would
allow safe and legal importation of medications has widespread
bipartisan support."
What AARP Learned About Older Voters
The survey of Americans age 42 and over is a
regular feature by AARP exploring opinions regarding issues that AARP
members have indicated they want to hear discussed in the national and
state public discourse leading up to the 2006 midterm elections. A
different issue is featured in each of the surveys along with consistent
weekly tracking of changes in voters’ interest levels and opinions.
Issue for the week of September 18: The
Cost of Prescription Drugs
● Of the baby boomers and older Americans
surveyed, 64 percent consider paying for prescription drugs to be either
a major (43%) or a minor (21%) financial problem.
● The cost of prescription drugs is likely to be
a voting issue in the November 2006 elections for 74 percent of this age
group, especially among minorities, the less educated and those with
lower incomes.
Older Voters Ready to Go to the Polls
The voter survey by AARP also asked questions about
voting participation and below are the highlights.
● Self reported voter registration is very high
(9 in 10), and is highest for those over 60 (91%.)
● Respondents are also very likely to vote this
November (84%)
● This boomer-pluse age segment report voting
with regularity – 54 percent say they always and 29 percent say they
almost always (29%). Six in 10 of those over 60 say that they always
vote.
● Interest in the upcoming election is high. More
than one-half (53%) say they are very interested in this year’s
election. Again, even higher numbers of Americans over 60 (56%) say they
are very interested.
● As of September, however, with less than two
months before the election, only 38 percent say they have given quite a
lot of thought to the upcoming election. Once more, more Americans over
60 say they have given this much thought to the upcoming election.
● Interestingly, solid majorities say they have
not yet decided how they will vote for candidates in their House of
Representatives race (70%) or their U.S. Senate race (60%).
● Americans are evenly divided between basing
their vote for congressional candidates on “bringing home the bacon” to
their congressional district (43%) and agreement with the candidate’s
position on major national issues (45%).
● On the other hand, slightly more say they base
their vote on the candidate’s position on one or two key issues (44%)
rather than the personal qualities of the candidate (37%).
>> To go to the
election survey,
click here.
>> To go to the
complete drug price reports,
click here.
Editor's Note: Although AARP describes
itself as nonprofit and nonpartisan, it does broker and/or represent
insurance and other services from private companies to Americans age 50 and older,
which generates a considerable amount of its revenues.
How AARP describes itself:
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership
organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control
in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a
whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin,
our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in
Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50
+ educators; and our website,
www.aarp.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides
security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with
support from thousands of volunteers, donors and sponsors. We have
staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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