President Bush Promotes Medicare Drug Benefit in Weekly Radio Address
President Bush on Saturday in his weekly radio address urged Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, calling it "the greatest advance" in health care for the elderly since Medicare's creation in 1965, Reuters reports (Reuters, 11/12). Enrollment in the program begins Tuesday and continues until May 15, 2006.
Benefits will begin on Jan. 1, 2006. According to the Bush administration, the new coverage will save beneficiaries an average of 50% on prescription drugs. Low-income beneficiaries who qualify for additional financial help will save an estimated 95% on drug costs, according to the administration.
In his address, Bush said, "This new benefit is the greatest advance in health care for seniors and Americans with disabilities since the creation of Medicare 40 years ago" (AP/Washington Times, 11/13). According to Dow Jones, Bush emphasized that the benefit is voluntary (Dow Jones, 11/12).
He said, "With this new prescription drug benefit, Medicare will now help pay for the prescription drugs that can prevent serious illness. Seniors will get more choices and better treatment, and America will get a Medicare system to fit the needs of the 21st century. If you or someone you love depends on Medicare, I urge you to learn about the new choices you have, so you can make a decision and enroll" (Reuters, 11/12).
According to the AP/Washington Times, critics have said the benefit is "much too complex" (AP/Washington Times, 11/13).
In related news, the New York Times on Sunday examined issues related to the new drug benefit, including ongoing confusion among seniors seeking to enroll. According to the Times, "Confusion was a dominant theme at education and counseling sessions held over the last two weeks" in a number of states (Pear, New York Times, 11/13).
Several California newspapers recently published articles addressing the Medicare drug benefit. Headlines appear below.
- "Medicare Changes Bewilder Caregivers" (Silber, Contra Costa Times, 11/13).
- "In a Drug Plan Daze? Get on the Bus" (Carlson, Modesto Bee, 11/14).
- "Seniors Shake Heads Over Options" (Weaver Teichert, Sacramento Bee, 11/12).
- "Prescription Plans Fall Into Two Categories" (San Diego Union-Tribune, 11/13).
- "Medicare Drug Plans Confusing Seniors" (Skidmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11/13).
- "Medicare Drug Plan Signups Begin Tuesday, But It's Hard To Pick One" (Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle, 11/13).
- "Navigating the Maze of Offerings Is Tricky Even for the Computer Savvy" (Said, San Francisco Chronicle, 11/13).
- "New Drug Plan Is Prescription for Confusion" (Pugh, Knight Ridder/San Jose Mercury News, 11/13).
Editorial
Congress should monitor the new Medicare prescription drug benefit "closely and be willing to adjust it as necessary" as the "good and bad choices" become "visible" next year, according to a Los Angeles Times editorial. Without "a government with the sense to change the program if it doesn't work," the benefit has "the potential to be catastrophic for the U.S. Treasury, if not for retirees' health," the editorial states (Los Angeles Times, 11/14).
Broadcast CoverageSeveral broadcast programs reported on the start of enrollment this week in the Medicare prescription drug benefit:
- APM's "Marketplace Money": The segment includes an interview with Uwe Reinhardt, a health economist at Princeton University (Ryssdal, "Marketplace Money," APM, 11/11). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.
- CBS' "Evening News": The segment includes comments from Robert Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, and Medicare beneficiaries (Alfonsi, "Evening News," CBS, 11/13). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.
- PBS' "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer": The segment includes comments from Linda Calvert, state health insurance assistance program director for the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services; Robert Laszewski, president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates; Jerry Leonard, a pharmacist with Drug Emporium West Virginia; CMS Administrator Mark McClellan; and Medicare beneficiaries (Dentzer, "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," PBS, 11/11). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer. An extended transcript of the interview with McClellan is available online. An extended transcript of the interview with Laszewski is available online.
Additional information about the Medicare drug benefit also is available online. - APM's "Marketplace Money": The segment includes an interview with Uwe Reinhardt, a health economist at Princeton University (Ryssdal, "Marketplace Money," APM, 11/11). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.