Coverage for Drugs

* We are writing about the proposed addition to Medicare, i.e. prescription drugs. Who is going to pay for this? Everything that is added to Medicare must be paid for in additional taxes or Medicare payments. Has anyone wondered why HMOs are withdrawing from Medicare patients? It is because the payments are too small as is. For instance, they pay $4 for a flu shot. All providers are being cut back. To add drug payments without adding a tax would not work at all.

It seems that people should be providing for themselves during their working years. If we must add a drug payment, it should be for those already retired. Everyone else should provide insurance or savings in later years.

BILL and SHIRLEY GLASGOW

Blue Jay