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Seniors Give Texas Lawmakers Earful on Cost of Pills San Antonio Express-News February 5, 2003 Feb. 5--About
1,200 Bexar County senior citizens told state legislators in Austin on
Tuesday they want something done about the high cost of prescription
medicine. "Get your
medicines, we'll help with the rest," was one message the group heard
from legislators, said Laura Castro, social services manager for the
city's Department of Community Initiatives. The 1,200 were
among 4,000 seniors statewide who attended Senior Day at the Capitol. Two years ago,
about 2,500 Texas seniors showed up, with about 565 from Bexar County. The Bexar-San
Antonio group arrived in 26 buses and a van, and was by far the largest
single group, said Carol Zernial, Bexar aging director for the Alamo Area
Council of Governments. Seniors stuffed a
prescription bottle with notes and prescriptions and handed it to state
Rep. Jose Menendez to emphasize their point, Zernial said. The seniors
support a Senate bill that will keep alive the Texas Department on Aging,
which is slated to close in 2005 because of the sunset law. Seniors are
concerned that if the agency closes, their programs will be rolled into
the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, where their voice might
not be heard as clearly, Zernial said. The group was
greeted on the south lawn of the Capitol by state Sens. Judy Zaffirini and
Frank Madla, and state Reps. Joaquin Castro, Frank Corte, Robert Puente,
Trey Martinez Fischer and Mike Villarreal. State Sen.
Leticia Van de Putte sponsored a bus, but was out of town on business. Seniors were
pleased that so many legislators attended because many state officials
were at the memorial service for the space shuttle Columbia astronauts,
said Gloria C. Arriaga, AACOG deputy executive director. Villarreal,
Castro and Menendez mingled with seniors on the lawn and invited them into
the Capitol for refreshments, Laura Castro said. Other buses were
sponsored by U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez; Mayor Ed Garza; City Council
members Enrique Barrera, Julian Castro, David Carpenter, Bobby Perez and
Toni Moorhouse; and state Reps. Castro and Menendez. Also, Lewis Marshall; the Jefferson Area Co-op; Catholic Charities; the Joint City-County Commission on Elderly Affairs; the Jewish Federation; Christian Senior Services; the Alamo Area Home Care Council; the Air Force Village; and AARP sponsored buses. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
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