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Web posted
Saturday, February 28, 2004
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Recent, controversial Medicare legislation is the best America can do right now to improve the 39-year-old program, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson told about 20 people Friday near Hardeeville.
-Carolina Morning News
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Wilson plugs Medicare changes
HARDEEVILLE: Transformation of 39-year-old program to start by summer.
By Mark Kreuzwieser
Carolina Morning News
Recent, controversial Medicare legislation is the best America can do right now to improve the 39-year-old program, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson told about 20 people Friday near Hardeeville.
Wilson said alternatives to upgrading the prescription and health care program for Americans 65 and older were unaffordable.
"We estimate that the program will cost about $400 billion, while other estimates have said more than $520 billion," Wilson, a Republican from Lexington, said at Palmetto Electric Cooperative in southern Jasper County.
"Other alternatives were estimated at a trillion dollars. That would just not be right. Not to be disrespectful, but I don't believe Medicare could exist at that cost."
Congress approved the Medicare changes in November, and in January, President Bush said the program could cost $534 billion over the next decade.
"I will work hard to keep it at $400 billion," Wilson said.
Critics of H.R.1, officially dubbed The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, say the program does nothing to reduce drug prices and will bring Medicare closer to more costly privatization.
But, Wilson said the new program will particularly help lower-income, older Americans and will help all citizens set up tax-free "health care savings accounts.
"There's no way to make everyone happy on certain issues, and that is especially so in this case," he said.
"The program is skewed toward the people at the bottom, who are on fixed incomes and who can't afford prescriptions and health care. This will help those persons truly in need to get prescriptions."
Those enrolled in Medicare also can choose to stay with their current participation or join the upgraded options.
In 2006, more aggressive prescription drug benefits will be added to the program, and seniors will be encouraged to sign up. Each month they delay, the cost will increase by 1 percent.
Bluffton resident Doug Robertson said something had to be done for older Americans and health care.
His family has "had to change insurance companies four times in six years, and our rates have gone up from $400 to $1,200, and that's without prescription charges," he said. "So, thanks, Joe, for getting something started."
Darren Katz, regional director of Health Leadership Council, an organization of CEOs from the health care industry, spoke before Wilson. Katz said the amended Medicare program is "probably better than any private program you could find out there."
The new Medicare
Beginning this summer, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 will start bringing changes for people 65 and older, including drug discount cards. Point your Internet browser to http://www.medicare.gov
Reporter Mark Kreuzwieser can be reached at 305-0004 or markk@lowcountrynow.com
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