Democrats Seek to Change Medicare Law

[pinto]

By MARK SHERMAN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON -- The much larger projected cost of the new Medicare law is giving an even more prominent place to an issue both parties already planned to highlight this election year.

Democrats said the dramatically increased estimate -- from $395 billion to $534 billion over 10 years -- adds to a mountain of evidence that the law needs to be changed, even before much of it has gone into effect.

Principal among their proposals is repealing the law's provision that bars the government from negotiating drug prices with manufacturers when seniors begin receiving Medicare prescription drug benefits in 2006.

<snip>

President Bush said Friday that he was given the higher number two weeks ago in the first detailed estimate of the new law's cost. Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee made public a June analysis of the Medicare overhaul's cost that they said cast doubt on the president's assertion.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-medicare,0,3023004.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Frances]

1. I guess I will call Feinstein

my senator who voted for the medicare bill again. I hope that her office will apologize.

My other senator Boxer voted against it. So did my rep, Ishoo.

[pinto]

3. Feinstein's my Sen, also, and I was dissappointed in her vote,

[many a good man]

2. Two weeks ago? JUNE?!!

This bill has got to be the epitome of Bush*/Republican dishonesty and fraud.

Several conservative Republicans said that had the higher numbers been known before final and narrow congressional approval, the bill might have been defeated.

No kidding! This cannot stand. Isn't there some kind of law that can throw out a law that was presented in bad faith? What kind of democracy is this?

[mn9driver]

4. More * lies presented as a reasonable difference in outlook

I love this part:

President Bush said Friday that he was given the higher number two weeks ago in the first detailed estimate of the new law's cost. Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee made public a June analysis of the Medicare overhaul's cost that they said cast doubt on the president's assertion.

It's just like the joke headline:"Bush Says World Is Flat; In Partisan Dispute, Some Democrats Disagree":crazy:

[stickdog]

5. How in the HELL did any Dems vote for this piece of crap? (nt)

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. It was the usual retreat

"It's better than nothing.... It's a start"

Only Kennedy and Byrd seemed to be outspoken in their opposition. Everyone else is still traumatized by "9/11"

[dmr]

7. No, that's not true

I watched many, many Dems on C-Span speak out against this insane bill.