Sharp Contrast Between Presidential Rhetoric and Reality

Less Than Two Percent of America's Seniors Voluntarily

President Bush today traveled to Kansas City, MO, to tout the new Medicare drug discount card program. The following is the statement of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of the health consumer organization Families USA, about the President's speech and the drug discount card program:

"There is a huge gap between the President's rhetoric and the program realities about the Medicare drug discount cards. Due to the program's complexity, confusion, and very limited benefits, less than two percent of America's seniors have voluntarily signed up for the drug discount cards.

"As drug prices continue to skyrocket, the discount card program is like a used car salesman who offers a $3,000 discount - after he increased the sticker price by $4,000.

"Congress and the President could have provided real cost relief for America's seniors, but the drug lobby convinced them not to do so. Instead of providing discount cards, Medicare should be using its bargaining clout to negotiate lower drug prices for America's seniors, just like the Department of Veterans Affairs does for veterans. Indeed, the best discount card prices are generally 40-60 percent higher than the drug prices negotiated by the Department of Veterans Affairs."

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005
202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org