Bushists to Elderly: Bend over, take it, and like it.

[BurtWorm]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/04/politics/04health.html

Citing Higher Costs, U.S. Plans Record Rise in Medicare Premium
By GARDINER HARRIS

Published: September 4, 2004


ASHINGTON, Sept. 3 - A day after President Bush heralded his efforts to help the elderly cope with increased medical expenses, federal officials announced the largest premium increase in dollars in the Medicare program's history, raising the monthly expense by $11.60 to $78.20.

The increase, which amounts to 17 percent, results largely from increased payments to doctors and reflects rising medical expenses generally, officials said. The rise has nothing to do with a program that will start in 2006 to offer prescription drugs, for which beneficiaries must pay a separate premium.

The increase immediately became grist for an increasingly contentious presidential campaign. Phil Singer, a spokesman for the Kerry campaign, released a statement saying, "After doing nothing about the record increases in the cost of health care over the last four years, George Bush is presiding over a Medicare system that is socking seniors with the largest premium hike in the program's 40-year history."

Scott Stanzel, a spokesman for the Bush campaign, said that "President Bush has worked to increase health care access and affordability, including guaranteeing Medicare recipients prescription drugs."

[Adams Wulff]

1. Hmmmm... the retirees in Florida are watching a hurricane?

Cool, They'll never see this coming! </sarcasm off>

[BurtWorm]

3. Interesting point!

:think:

(Republican bastids!)

[DemBones DemBones]

2. This article needs to be posted in every

senior citizens' center in the country!

I'm serious. I'm not a senior citizen but I do belong to a club that meets at a senior center. People there circulated a petition against Congress making it difficult/ illegal to buy prescription drugs from Canada long before DU was aware of the issue. And people were eagerly signing the petition.

Raising their Medicare premiums is an issue older people will care about. Make copies of this article and give them to all the older folks you know or meet.