WP: For GOP, Time for Soothing, Selling (Medicare drug disaster)

[Pirate Smile]

For GOP, Time for Soothing, Selling
Amid Criticism of New Drug Plan, Lawmakers Try to Reassure Angry Seniors

By Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 19, 2006; Page A06

BATAVIA, N.Y. -- Republicans are using town meetings and other outreach efforts to try to tamp down senior citizens' outrage over the complicated and troubled new Medicare prescription drug program, as they look warily toward the November elections and the possibility of a political backlash.

Here in western New York, Georgie Bifarella, 78, had a strong message for Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (R-N.Y.) during a recent community workshop on the drug benefit: "I think it stinks." Like many other of the 75 elderly citizens at the session, Bifarella was frustrated by the program's thicket of rules and restrictions, including the penalty for Medicare recipients who enroll in a plan after the current May 15 deadline.

-snip-
Nearly three weeks into the start of the new program, tens of thousands of elderly and disabled Americans, their pharmacists and their governors are struggling to resolve start-up problems, many of which have resulted in people being turned away or being overcharged. The uproar prompted some states to cover the drug costs of some of the 6.4 million low-income seniors, who until Dec. 31 received their medication free but who now faced a maze of large deductibles, co-payments and outright denial of coverage.

-snip-
Nor is there any assurance that the Republicans' rollout will diminish widespread concerns. As the midterm elections approach, Kohut said, "This could be either the one thing that people say either, 'Wow, they really accomplished something here,' or they say, 'Look at what the Republicans have done. They've fattened up their insurance buddies and left us out in the cold.' "
The prospect of a crisis in the Medicare drug program, coming during a congressional corruption scandal and a shake-up of the House GOP leadership, is politically terrifying to some Republicans. This helps to explain why so many GOP lawmakers invested a large portion of the winter recess trying to calm down their elderly constituents.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/18/AR2006011802229.html

[aquart]

1. They see everything as a PR problem.

They never consider substance.

[dgauss]

5. I think that's one of the results of looking at the Corporation

as good model for Government.

The point is ladies and gentlemen that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of it's forms - greed for life, for money, knowledge - has marked the upward surge of mankind and greed - you mark my words - will not only save Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you. -Gordon Gekko

[rodeodance]

13. yes, it is only 'we have to educate the public'

[cal04]

2. Al Gore knew exactly what he was talking

about. I sure wish people would have listened

Final debate features tense moments, sharp contrasts

All right, here we go again. Now, look, if you want someone who will spin a lot of words describing a whole convoluted process and then end up supporting legislation that is supported by the big drug companies, this is your man," Vice President Gore said of Texas Gov. Bush in describing the competing prescription drug coverage proposals of the two


At one point, Bush said Gore was proposing the "largest increase in federal spending in years, and there's just not going to be enough money" to pay for it. Gore said Bush was wrong, and his rival's $1.3 billion tax plan would lavish relief on the wealthy while shortchanging critical domestic programs.

[0rganism]

3. Cos you know socialized medicine is just too restricitive and difficult...

...or so we've been told, over and over and over again.

[Rose Siding]

4. This tragedy will play out no matter what he does.

It's too late. This snip from a reader in a post at TPM gave me chills:

...I have just started on the inpatient cardiology service at xxxxxx and have admitted two patients to the hospital in the past 24 hours who were unable to get important medicines as a result of the new plan (or lack there of). It is truly amazing! I dont think either is life threatening, but they both could have and will cost the tax payers and Medicare tens of thousands of dollars in needless hospital days. Moreover, we are running at 110% capacity now with some patients spending three days in the ER waiting for a bed. These Medicare admissions have obviously not helped.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/007466.php

I pray that some investigative pieces are in the works. If this is a representative tip of the iceberg, we will need HEAVY and immediate coverage. Even if the exposure is fast and extensive, how can this be fixed?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

6. So...

When do we hit the streets again?

Seriously.

[preciousdove]

7. Yeah were ready for an epidemic, NOT n/t

[pa28]

8. Time to admit mistakes and scrap this costly disaster.

It was written for, or even by, drug companies for their own enrichment.

The drug bill is a scandal in itself.

[Rainscents]

10. Pharma is going to make 180 billion dollars off of this bill!

Can you blieve this? This truly is highway robbery!!!

[WatchWhatISay]

9. This is good

PR will never cover this mess up, it will only open some eyes, maybe enough?

[rodeodance]

14. awaking from a deep slumber of 'trust'

[ShockediSay]

11. Tell'em the law was written by PhRMA lobbyists and the Republican

chairman of the committee regulating the pharmaceutical business and which brought out this law, Billy Tauzin, became President and CEO of the PhRMA lobbyists with an estimated annual pay of TWO MILLION DOLLARS.

http://www.house.gov/pallone/images/quest.activities.medpassing.pdf

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/drugs/2004-12-15-drugs-usat_x.htm

If it looks corrupt and it smells corrupt, it's probably corrupt.

[salin]

12. They are reacting to "round one" snafus - wait for "round two"

The current, very serious, problems are due to the automatic switch for the poorest elderly and for the disabled from Medicaid to Medicare. This is the serious round, in terms of huge health issues and implications. However there is a "round two" around the corner. Millions of folks who had private supplemental drug benefit plans through their retirement packages are seeing those programs cut off and being told that their options are to enroll in the govt program, or go without. These folks are enrolling now - or will in the next several months - and will likely hit some of the same problems we are reading about. Many of the outraged in round two may not be as in dire risk as the round one - but they are greater in number.

Try as hard as they might, the GOP is going to have a hard time "fixing" this problem through PR - esp as round two looms, and touches millions and millions of families directly and indirectly. The reality facing folks and/or their parents just won't be PRed away.