ClintonCalls For Rx Coverage

President Clinton plunged into a crowd of exuberant senior citizens last week in Forest Hills after assuring them he was pushing hard for Medicare coverage of prescription medicines.
The President told seniors at the Austin Street SelfHelp Center that Social Security is in glowing health and solvent through 2037 and Medicare is adequately funded through 2023.
But it was the Presidents support for legislation to provide seniors on Medicare with prescription drug coverage that drew the loudest applause.
"I want you to know," he told his audience, "that the time is now to provide this coverage. We have a $290 billion federal surplus."
Seniors waiting outside the center before Clintons address told The Queens Courier that the price of prescription drugs was their main concern.
"Im very worried about my sick mother whose drug bill is $150 a month," said Barbara Glick of Forest Hills. "President Clinton has done the best job for the senior citizens of this country in over 100 years."
Wichna Szmulewicz, 78, and her 83-year-old husband, Szymon, pay $300 monthly for Szymons prescription medicine for his Parkinsons disease. "We have to pay that out of a total of $1,370 in our monthly Medicare allotment," Wichna said. "He has to take a lot of medication and vitamins to take away the side effects of the drugs."
The audience of about 100 seniors, matched by almost as many national and local reporters and photographers, watched as Secret Service agents led Clinton into the auditorium at the senior center. He strode onto the platform with a broad smile and waved to the audience.
After he was announced to a hushed audience, his presidential seal was affixed on the podium and a tape of "Hail to the Chief" was played, bringing the seniors to their feet.
When an Austin Street SelfHelp official struggled with a microphone, Clinton rose and quickly made the adjustment to another burst of applause from the audience.
The President was introduced by Congressman Anthony D. Weiner who drew big laughs from Clinton when he referred to him as a "political spouse."
In his introductory address, Weiner opened with another laugh-getter, "Its just another day at the Austin Street SelfHelp Center."
Then he cited needed changes in Medicare so that it provides prescription drug coverage, and the problem-ridden, overcrowded schools in the borough.
Clinton dazzled his audience by spending close to half an hour talking one-to-one with seniors about their problems, After getting into his limousine for a motorcade to Manhattan, he saw a large throng of onlookers on Queens Boulevard. He stopped his car and spent another half hour in conversation with them.
As the presidential motorcade took off, Martha Weiss, 70, a volunteer officer at the Austin Street SelfHelp Center and a longtime resident of Forest Hills, said, "If anyone can fix our problems, its this president."