Bush Extends Miners' Prescription Drugs

[Judi Lynn]

Bush Extends Miners' Prescription Drugs

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)--The Bush administration has extended a program that provides prescription drug benefits to 50,000 retired coal miners and miners' widows through Medicare.

President Bush signed an administrative order Thursday keeping the pilot program going beyond its scheduled June 30 expiration until December 2005, United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts said.

Under the plan, the Department of Health and Human Services will increase its Medicare reimbursement to the miners' health care fund by $190 million, said Dr. Larry Fields of the federal agency. (snip)

Democratic Sen. Robert C. Byrd dismissed the Bush plan as an election-year campaign ploy and said it doesn't go far enough.
(snip/...)
AP-NY-01-30-04 0016EST

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/National/AP.V5969.AP-Miners-Health-.html

[aquart]

1. My, he's desperate for votes.

This is just not the sort of thing George does.

[whathappened]

2. what about the rst of us

i worked in a dirty old gm plant for 15 years , breathing cast iron dust everyday , is there any help out there for us , i think not