Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy was hosted by Mineola chapter 4202 of the AARP last Wednesday and talked with seniors about the need for health care reform and the progress being made in Washington on such matters as lowering prescription drug costs.

To a house of more than 100 members gathered in the Mineola Community Center, McCarthy ¬ a former nurse ¬ spoke of the cruel irony that new technological advances in medicine are being made to prolong longevity and quality of life at a time when the insurance industry makes it more difficult for people to have access to the treatments.

"We're paying the highest prices in the nation in our district, and that's wrong. Even the pharmaceutical companies are saying, 'What is the point of having all of these wonderful drugs if people can't afford them?" said McCarthy (R-Mineola). "The pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies are now battling it out. The time has come for senior citizens to be able to get their drugs through Medicare. I don't know what the final resolution will be, but as a nurse, I'll promise you that I'll only vote for the solution that will help the most amount of people."

McCarthy also touched on the Patients Bill of Rights, which was passed by the House of Representatives but is still idle in the Senate. She said insurance companies' fear that the bill would inspire too many burdensome lawsuits is unfounded.

"Many people, when they heard about it, said it's all about letting people sue, sue, sue," McCarthy said. "That's just a small part of it. However, as a member of Congress, I'm able to sue my HMO if they deny me care. If it's good enough for members of Congress, why isn't it good enough for the people back home?"

McCarthy recounted her own struggle with HMOs in getting care to treat her son, saying, "It wasn't me saying Kevin needs this care ¬ it was all his doctors. The doctors should be the ones making the decision."

McCarthy also said she is pushing for a bill that would give protection for whistle-blowers in the health care industry. It would allow health care providers to report when they see unsafe conditions without fear of reprisal from superiors.

"Nurses are going on strike ¬ not for pay, not for money ¬ but because the conditions are getting worse," she said. "That's why we should pass the Whistle-Blower Protection Act."

Social Security was also discussed, and McCarthy said the program is being used by politicians on both sides of the aisle as a rallying point. The battle between Republicans and Democrats has been over how much of the federal surplus to use to ensure the program will last until at least 2032. However, McCarthy said "saving Social Security" is not the most important issue.

"We will be able to do that," she said. "It's Medicare that is really in trouble. First of all, I don't actually believe we have a surplus; that's just very creative math. We do have enough to last through 2032 ¬ the money in Social Security is going to be there. Medicare is our bigger problem. The politics of it have to be taken out."

Seniors asked McCarthy about buying drugs over the Internet and through the mail to save on the cost, to which the Congresswoman offered a warning ¬ "Just because something is cheaper doesn't mean it's the best thing.

"If you're getting your medication through the mail, think about it. If it's in the summer, it may be sitting in the truck in the heat and that lowers its effectiveness. The same goes for cold weather."

The audience was responsive and appreciative of McCarthy's visit, and the Congresswoman also seemed pleased to be in Mineola. McCarthy, always one to share her own experiences, told the seniors what it was like for her when she turned 55.

"All of a sudden, I had three prescriptions and it had nothing to do with the lifestyle I was living," she said. "It's just about getting older and the body changing. All of a sudden, my cholesterol was through the roof and it had nothing to do with what I was eating. Also, my blood pressure was high."

McCarthy attributed her cholesterol to heredity. She had a different theory about her blood pressure.

"I did have a problem with that and I told my doctor that when I'm in Washington it shoots up, but whenever I come back home it levels right out."