AL GORE: Women Will ‘Win Big’ Under Health Care Proposals
Continuing to press his health care reform agenda, Vice President Al Gore last week targeted a key voting block -- women. Stumping in Pennsylvania, Gore pointed out that under his health care proposals, including a $339 billion, 10-year plan to bolster Medicare and the addition of a prescription drug benefit to the program, women will be the biggest winners. Gore said, "I will fight to see that every woman in the land has access to the quality health care she deserves and can afford the prescription medicine she needs." According to the Gore campaign, one-third of female Medicare beneficiaries lack prescription drug coverage and they spend 13% more than men for medications. Further, the campaign noted that women spend an average of $2,613 -- 22% of the median income for women -- per year on health care. Gore also asserted that his plan focuses on diseases such as diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis, which tend to affect more women than men. Along with his health care proposals, Gore has offered a plan to provide a $3,000 tax credit for the nine million women who provide care for sick or disabled relatives (Glover, AP/Nando Times, 7/10).
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