Some Experts See Revolt by Elderly Over Drug Benefits (NYT)

[DeepModem Mom]

With good intentions and bright advisers, Congress overwhelming passed legislation in 1988 that would insure the elderly against catastrophic medical expenses, including crushing drug costs.

But affluent retirees quickly concluded that they were being asked to pay for something that their employers already gave. They rose in revolt. Congress repealed the legislation within months.

Some experts envision a similar fate for the Medicare drug benefit that the Senate sent to President Bush's desk yesterday. The legislation provides billions in tax incentives to discourage employers from dropping the drug benefits that they provide to about 11 million retirees. But if, as pessimists expect, many large employers calculate that the incentives are not enough, millions more retirees than Congress expects will watch as their relatively rich private drug benefits are replaced by the government's more meager package.

They will be forced to trade in a Cadillac for a Chevrolet, and that is a recipe for another revolt by the elderly, some experts say.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/26/politics/26DRUG.html

[KayLaw]

1. Interest rates

The terrible returns on CD rates are also retirees in a big way.

[dusty64]

2. The media coverage of

this Medicare "victory" hasn't been particularly glowing. I've actually been seeing lots of warnings and reporting of dangers to Medicare now that its passed. The fact that any potential benefit is years away, I don't think it will help rethugs much. I do think it will hurt Dems though because once again the party has screwed its base and one of the ideals that they hold dear. Just another reason for many to be apathetic.

[catmandu57]

4. I noticed that

and screamed at the tv, why in the hell were'nt you telling us this last week?

[baby_bear]

6. That's all I heard last week

This thing was so blatantly bad that I couldn't believe any Dem would support it. Was it not clear to the public how bad this is?

Maybe I watch Cspan too much. I should tune into FOX news I guess, to be more in touch with "reality".

:silly:

s_m

[xchrom]

3. it's already been outlined

how seniors will wind up paying more -- there is a lot to be concerned about here as it looks like the senate and congress once again turned it's back on the citizenry at large to benefit the corporations.

[Neecy]

5. if they want proof...

the NYT should go read the AARP message board. These folks are pissed and surprisingly enough, almost all of them are blaming the Republicans. I would have thought they'd be furious at the 11 Democrats who voted for that travesty, but it's being perceived as a Bush bill.

[cthrumatrix]

7. education...education...go to opensecrets.org to see how

much money their representative received from health care .... this is called CORRUPTION

If we wanted a "discount" we could buy drugs cheaper from Canada than this contrived "reform bill"...translation equals "wealth transfer"

from our taxes to the pharma's and drug companies....