Bush pushing seniors to sign up for prescription drug benefit program

Senior citizens skeptical about signing up for a new Medicare prescription drug benefit program, are being urged by President George Bush to enroll in the scheme which is promising a choice of plans with monthly premiums as low as $20.

Bush was speaking to a group of seniors at the Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort and Country Club, and urged Arizona's 780,000 Medicare beneficiaries to sign up for the new benefit in November.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, every state except Alaska will have such an inexpensive option, along with more expensive options.

President Bush promised the group of seniors that the plan would cut their drug bills by half.

He also repeated several times that seniors did not have to change their current coverage, which has been a common concern.

Bush is encouraging seniors to be open-minded enough to listen to the options.

There are concerns that the new plan is too complicated for seniors, and the price of the Medicare drug program is thought by many to be much higher than previously anticipated, a potential $724 billion over 10 years.

Apparently what seniors get for their premiums will vary from state to state, and plan to plan, and will also depend on what drugs seniors require.

It is thought that many seniors want more information and are confused.

To date the Bush administration's drug benefit has only enticed 6 million seniors to sign up for a temporary discount card for prescription medicines, which is far fewer than was expected.

Dr. Mark McClellan, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has said that the average monthly premium for the prescription drug plan, which becomes active in 2006, is estimated to be $32.20, which is less than earlier estimates.

Also lower-income seniors would receive added coverage and would only have to pay a few dollars for drugs.

In an attempt to promote the Medicare drug plan, Bush has traveled to Arizona and California.