Democrats cry foul over draft of Medicare handbook

[rodeodance]

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/042805/medicare.html

April 28, 2005

Democrats cry foul over draft of Medicare handbook

By Jeffrey Young

Democrats are charging that the Bush administration is using the annual handbook for Medicare beneficiaries to mislead seniors about the new prescription-drug benefit

....Now that a draft of the handbook has been leaked, the CMS spokesman said, the administration will consider congressional concerns. “We welcome constructive criticism,” he said.

“The handbook does not even mention likelihood” that many seniors will experience a lapse in coverage inside the drug coverage “doughnut hole,” the Democratic letter states........






http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=616769

MEDICARE – MISLEADING BOOKLET: Seniors bewildered by the confusing, complicated Medicare plan shouldn't expect to find answers from the White House. The administration's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is releasing its annual booklet "Medicare & You." The first draft, however, has more spin than answers. According to a letter written to CMS administration Mark McClellan, five key House members charge the handbook is "rife with omissions and inaccuracies and could exacerbate, not mitigate, beneficiary confusion." A major example: The draft contains "no mention of the so-called 'doughnut hole' in prescription drug coverage." Under the White House plan, beneficiaries must pay every penny of their drug costs between $2,250 and $5,100 before coverage kicks back in. The booklet skips this glitch, saying only, "After you meet the deductible, you pay part of the cost of covered prescription drugs and the plan pays part."

[warrens]

1. That is just criminal

These punks are constitutionally unable to play ANYTHING straight.

[Dr Ron]

2. Follows their usual pattern

This is part of the entire pattern of dishonesty on Medicare we've seen from Bush. (IOf course this dishnonesty is not limited to his Medicare policies.)

Welcome constructive criticism? We've seen in the past that they only listen to the opinons of htose who agree with them, or share their goals (as Bush put it after the 2004 election.

[AuntiBush]

3. The Seniors I know are saing the same but say NOT CONFUSED

Don't know of 1 Senior that is buying this Bu$h-Crap. Everyone is fed-up w/him and the Republicans. Everyone.