Iowa members of the American Association for Retired Persons rallied in Des Moines today to show support for adding a prescription drug benefit for Medicare. A-A-R-P member Larry Van Derveer of Des Moines worries he won’t be able to afford medicine for his heart, and his wife’s diabetes, much longer. He says he spends about one-third of his monthly income on prescription drugs. He calls it “nonsensical.” Van Derveer says he’s forced to make some tough choices when it comes to paying for things.He says he could buy his drugs forever if he quit paying for groceries, or quit paying his property taxes. Van Derveer’s wife Velma says they’ve already cut spending about as much as they can.71-year old Pat Cloud of West Des Moines says she spends more than 400 dollars a month on 10 different medications. Cloud says she doesn’t understand why drug companies can’t offer Medicare recipients the same discounts they offer large insurance companies.Cloud is one of 500-thousand Iowans in the Medicare program.
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