The bomb called “Medicare reform” I have been talking about since the new
prescription drug program took effect first of the year is now starting to get
some discussion in the mainstream.

WASHINGTON – The Medicare drug program that was supposed to win political
points for Republicans has exploded in their faces as this election year has
begun. It’s a particularly vexing problem for the GOP, since older Americans
are such active voters and no one seeking office wants to see them angry.

Since the Bush administration’s prescription medicine program began on
Jan. 1, tens of thousands of elderly people have been unable to get
medicines promised by the government. Some 20 states have had to jump in to
help them.

And while officials promised anew on Tuesday that a fix was on the way,
Democrats pointed to the confusion surrounding the rollout and pounded the
administration and its GOP allies in Congress.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) of Massachusetts cited
a “systemwide failure” that he said “puts the health of our frailest
citizens at great risk.” Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York likened the
government’s response to a “man-made disaster” to its missteps on Hurricane
Katrina.

“The time for all levels of government to act is now,” 14 Democratic
governors said on Tuesday in a letter to President Bush.

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The silver lining to this dark cloud is the fact it will cost the Republicans
numerous votes this fall and really put a mixer into the elections.

Al Gore pointed out in his speech yesterday that insurance companies are now
wanting out of the new program and they have even gone as far as to change
policies on seniors. AARP has changed their formulary two weeks into the program
so a senior who chose their program because it covered a particular drug is now
finding it not covered and having to pay full price. For lower income seniors
this is a problem for only a month as they have the option to change providers
every month but for others this can be a problem for a year as their committed
to the program that long.

This program is a massive disaster and should be cancelled now and the old
system put back into effect. It needs to go back to Congress for proper debate
with expert testimony and not testimony man handled by Bush. Hold your
politicians accountable to this because it will affect everyone of us at one
point or another.