Westchester NOW

Arlene Ketchum

In a NOW special report (Dec. 2003), President Kim Gandy calls the recently passed Prescription Drug Bill (H.R. 1) a "cruel deception that George W. Bush and the right-wing leadership in Congress have played on older women. Because older women utilize more prescription medications and, on average, have less retirement income, they will face a new hardship when this legislation takes effect."

According to the report, analysts predict costs will go up for those seniors leaving traditional Medicare. There will be no guarantee of coverage as in government-run Medicare; private insurers can raise premiums and deductibles, while reducing coverage and dropping patients. Seniors remaining in traditional Medicare will face a continued spiraling of drug costs and higher premiums. The Republican plan transfers the emphasis from government-guaranteed patient care to managed care plans whose bottom line is a healthy profit margin. In leaving traditional Medicare, seniors will be on their own in trying to figure out which managed care program is best and most affordable, with costs and coverage changing from year to year.

Gandy urges, "Activists should pressure their members in Congress to address some of the most disturbing flaws in the legislation, including the prohibition against the government negotiating lower drug prices, possible loss of coverage for millions of seniors with employer-provided plans, and loss of Medicaid support for very low income and disabled persons…"

The entire report can be found on NOW's web site at www.now.org (Search "Medicare), or members can receive a hard copy by emailing us at WestNYNOW@aol.com and providing a mailing address.

For more information about Westchester NOW, e-mail us at info@westchesternow.org!