Gov't aims to clear up Medicare confusion

[Judi Lynn]

Monday, July 19, 2004 · Last updated 2:14 p.m. PT

Gov't aims to clear up Medicare confusion

By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON -- Less than 14 percent of eligible low-income Medicare beneficiaries have signed up for a drug discount card with $600 in government aid, Medicare chief Mark McClellan said Monday as the Bush administration sought to clear up confusion about the program.

In letters to state officials and other federal assistance programs, the administration said the annual $600 subsidy for the drug card should not be counted against people when they sign up for food stamps or housing programs.

"No one should be disadvantaged under federal programs, including Medicaid, because he or she is getting some extra help with buying medications that may be critical to their health," McClellan said.

He also made public a letter he sent New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, in which he said the state was wrong to tell some residents they were ineligible for the drug card assistance because of other governmental help they receive
(snip/...)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1151&slug=Medicare%20Drug%20Card

[nosmokes]

1. if * had been serious about medicare reform

instead of putting more money into the hands of his pals in big pharma, think of what coulda been done with all the effort and money put into this phoney baloney drug card scam.