Elderly need prescription plan through Medicare

To the editor:

I urge our federal legislators to enact a Medicare drug benefit this year. Average Americans are confronted with serious problems affording the medications their doctors prescribe.

Prescription-drug affordability used to be viewed as a low-income problem, but today it's hurting those of all incomes. The rising costs of prescription drugs, their increased importance in the way we treat and prevent disease and the steady elimination of company-sponsored retiree health care have more people feeling the pressure of affordability.

I applaud those legislators who have supported a Medicare prescription-drug plan, but we need everyone on board on this nonpartisan issue.

RON PILZ

Cape Girardeau