Bush Defends Medicare Card in Missouri Visit

Fresh from international summits on both sides of the Atlantic, President Bush on Monday pivoted back to his domestic agenda, holding a “conversation” in the heartland to promote the fledgling Medicare drug discount card program and defend it against criticism that it was off to a rocky start.

The new benefit was to have been a crowning achievement of the Bush White House and the Republican Congress as they headed into the election season But the program has met with indifference even among Medicare’s 7 million low-income beneficiaries who stand to gain the most.

Faced with confusing red tape and an array of choices, only about 3.3 million of Medicare’s 42 million beneficiaries have enrolled in the program. Of those, about 1 million have taken the initiative to sign up for the discount card, while 2.3 million more were automatically enrolled by their Medicare HMOs.

Bush, denouncing “misinformation” about the program circulated by his political opponents, urged low-income seniors to give the program a try.

“People need to understand the facts and understand what’s available,” he said at a campaign-style town hall meeting. “This is a program that helps people.”

Mark B. McClellan, Medicare administrator, particularly urged all low-income seniors, who are entitled to $600 a year in free drugs, to sign up. The discount cards also provide users with savings of 15% to 30% off the retail price of most brand name drugs and more on generics, McClellan said.

McClellan, briefing reporters aboard Air Force One as the president flew to Kansas City, would not agree with a reporter’s premise that the program was problem-plagued and off to a slow start. He conceded that there were “always challenges” with any new government program.

The White House issued a press release noting that information about the drug discounts was available on a toll-free line (800-MEDICARE) as well as a website (www.medicare.gov). Bush gave out the information at the event.

The Bush administration has already spent more than $22 million promoting the new Medicare law. Yet public opinion polls, interviews and anecdotal evidence indicate that many seniors remain uninformed or undecided about the discount card.

Democrats and some consumer groups have produced studies showing that seniors could save more money by shopping on the Internet or buying their prescription drugs from Canada.

And even many Republicans, seniors’ groups and private card sponsors acknowledge that the enrollment process, which requires seniors to choose from among 40 national cards and some of the 33 regional ones, is cumbersome and confusing.

The program has become increasingly embroiled in partisan politics, with Democrats characterizing it as “an absolute disaster” and “a huge embarrassment to the administration.” Seniors “have shown great, good common sense by rejecting this card by the millions,” said Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).

Democrats also are pushing for legalization of drug imports from Canada and direct government negotiation with drug companies for lower prices.

The campaign of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) also weighed in, saying that the discount program was actually lining the already-deep pockets of the insurance industry.

“John Kerry supports a real prescription drug card that demands that savings get passed on to all seniors,” said Kerry spokesman Phil Singer.

“As president, Kerry [also] will push for other, real cost-containment measures, such as re-importation and allowing the federal government to negotiate better prices with the drug companies.”

To illustrate the benefits of the program, Bush accompanied Wanda Blackmore, a senior citizen who lives in nearby Kansas City, to a local drugstore shortly after he arrived, inviting her to share his limousine.

With Bush at her side, Blackmore, 74, bought $19 worth of blood-thinner for $1.90. As she paid, a beaming Bush told reporters: “One of the reasons we’re here is we want people to understand the benefits of this card, so more people use it.... It’s going to make a positive difference, a big difference in the lives of our seniors.”

Blackmore, who lives on her Social Security income, said, “I am delighted. This is great.”