[.cnI redruM]

Bad policy makes bad politics. This Medicare bill was a boondoggle. It is being treated with the contempt that it deserves.

[KantianBurke]

President Bush signed a prescription-drug act two months ago that is actually hurting his popularity instead of boosting support from the elderly as intended.

LOL!! Gee, guess all that "compassion" with other people's money to give granny free pills isn't paying off. Sorry Dubya. Better put some ice on that.

[Bikers4Bush]

Of course all of this will fall on deaf ears in DC.

[Maria S]

"Bad policy makes bad politics. This Medicare bill was a boondoggle. It is being treated with the contempt that it deserves."


Yep! Just wait until Hillary and the democrats are in charge of things. This medicare bill "boondoggle" will look like an exquisite piece of legislation compared to what they'll churn out.

[My2Cents]

This Medicare bill was a boondoggle.

The Medicare bill was a reasonable effort to introduce economies experienced in the commercial market to the public health program for seniors. There are cost containment provisions within the bill which were not previously part of the Medicare program. The programatic revisions in the bill should put Medicare on a path toward greater privatization. The cost estimates are just that -- estimates. Currently, two-thirds of Medicare recipients already have drug benefits through some other means (private drug plans, Medicare supplemental, or Medicare+Choice plans). Since the drug benefit is the bulk of the increased cost estimates, it is likely that these estimates are high in that they assume that most seniors will opt for the new drug benefit (but with 2/3 already in some form of drug coverage, why would they?)

The conservative principles of competition, private sector administration of the drug benefit, innovation in administration of benefits, and cost-containment provisions, could very likely bring down the overall cost of the program, while bringing Medicare coverage up to the level and quality of private benefit plans, and into the 21st Century.

[TomGuy]

Insurance and drug companies benefit greatly from the bill.

Seniors get maybe at 25% discount on their meds. Most existing prescription drug cards give up to 20% discount and those cards are free, not $540 billion.

This version of the Prescription Drug Bill was nothing but a payoff to big drug and insurance companies. Seniors get shafted with loop holes, premiums, uncovered areas, and no price negotiations nor cheaper foreign imported drugs.

[mo]

I've posted this before and will do so again...ya don't touch health care. Screwing with it cost the Clintons the House and Senate in 1994. There is NOTHING that can be done nationally that will have any significant upside, and there's LOTS of downside risk-the issue simply affects too many. Incremental withdrawal is the best Federal policy-and is 180 degrees from the Bush Whitehouse. Hope someone from there reads this.

[boomop1]

Hell he should have given the bill to Kennedeo or Hitlary to fashion, they couldn't have done much worse.

[what's up]

I love the Health Savings Accounts provision in the bill.

This will go a long way toward lowering medical costs in the long run. And I can't wait to take advantage of it.