DNC: Show Me The Money; Bush's Hapless Medicare Tour

[im10ashus]

WASHINGTON, April 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by the Democratic National Committee:
Today, while as many as 20 states still await reimbursement for the cost of covering prescription drugs, President Bush traveled to Iowa and Missouri to pitch his failed Medicare Prescription Drug plan during two different stops at seniors centers and a "Conversation" on Medicare.

Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney issued the following statement:

"What you didn't hear President Bush talk about today when he discussed his failed Medicare prescription drug plan is the fact that he let lobbyists write the law and used misleading cost estimates to get his plan through Congress. President Bush again put special interests above the needs of the American people. And, just like the President sent out Dick Cheney to mislead the American people about intelligence leading up to the Iraq War, current White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten peddled the Administration's misleading cost estimates while the Medicare plan was being debated. Democrats will continue to fight for real solutions that afford more Americans, not less, access to affordable health care and prescription drugs."

AMERICANS NOT BENEFITING FROM BUSH MEDICARE PLAN

In Missouri, 303,929 are enrolled in Medicare Part D, but 326,627 more who could be enrolled still do not have a satisfactory prescription drug benefit. (Kaiser State Health Facts)

In Iowa, 199,045 are enrolled in Medicare Part D, but 218,230 more who could be enrolled still do not have a satisfactory prescription drug benefit. (Kaiser State Health Facts)

Nationwide, 12,132,585 are enrolled in Part D, but 15,834,256 more who could be enrolled still do not have a satisfactory prescription drug benefit. (Kaiser State Health Facts)

WHICH WAS CREATED BY LOBBYISTS...

Lobbyists' Influence Led To Problems In Bush's New Drug Plan. "More than 1,200 pharmaceutical and health industry lobbyists did some of their best work on the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. Excellent work, that is, for their clients. The result hasn't been so hot for enrollees in Medicare's new prescription drug program so far, especially the so-called dual eligibles... Complaints reached a crescendo over the weekend for state Rep. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, who talked to one constituent who couldn't get a necessary phenobarbital prescription and another who waited on a Medicare help line for 3 1/2 hours. Kelsey wrote Gov. Phil Bredesen Monday asking him to approve temporary prescription payments for dual eligibles to help keep prescriptions flowing until the federal government gets its act together. Arkansas, California and 18 other states have taken similar action. A spokesman for Bredesen's office said Tuesday that the governor is 'watching this carefully to see how it's impacting the state.'" (Commercial Appeal (Tennessee), 1/18/06)

con'd...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20060411/pl_usnw/dnc__show_me_the_money__bush_s_hapless_medicare_tour_stops_in_missouri_and_iowa135_xml

[gizmo1979]

1. This is what Repukes call a success.

They sure have low standards.Still got it over 50% wrong.

[im10ashus]

2. It's ridiculous that they are doing a "tour" touting its success.

When it is anything but.