© 2026 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace St.
Buffalo, NY 14202

Toronto Address:
130 Queens Quay E.
Suite 903
Toronto, ON M5A 0P6


Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
BTPM NPR Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Differing shades of blue wavering throughout the image
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Senators Schumer, Clinton Back Emergency Medicare Legislation

By Max Cacas

Washington, DC – New York's two senators are backing emergency legislation to help low-income seniors get the prescriptions they need under the new Medicare drug program.

"This Medicare plan, Part D, is a fiasco," said Senator Charles Schumer.

He is co-sponsoring a bill that would force all drug plans to provide at least 30 days of prescriptions to mostly low-income seniors caught in the confusion over the new Medicare "Plan D."

His colleague, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, also wants repayment for states and local pharmacies trying to help seniors.

"So I introduced legislation to reimburse the pharmacists who have been on the front line trying to make an unworkable system understandable and work to the best of our ability," Clinton said.

A temporary fix for the woes of the Medicare drug plan is expected to be at the top of the agenda when the Senate returns next week. For WBFO News, I'm Max Cacas on Capitol Hill. Max Cacas Senior Producer / Correspondent Capitol News Connection / Washington, D.C. USA