Not ALL media has bailed on Bush...Happy Drug Card "News"

[Atman]

Check this out, from today's very republican Hartford Courant. They actually ran this story with an inch-and-a-half high banner headline, across the entire top of the page. Look at the ONLY sources quoted, and note that the negative comments were only debunked by...well, read it for yourself. Pretty disgusting, publishing a press release as a real news story...

Drug Card Enrollment Adding Up
Medicare Discount Program Underway

June 2, 2004
By JOHN A. MacDONALD, Courant Staff Writer

WASHINGTON -- About 500,000 seniors have signed up on their own for the new Medicare prescription drug discount card, federal health officials said Tuesday, the first day the discounts became available.

Overall, 2.87 million have enrolled in the discount card program, said Dr. Mark B. McClellan, the Medicare administrator. Approximately 2.3 million of those were automatically enrolled as an added benefit of participating in a Medicare managed health care program.

"It's a very good start," said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, whose department oversees Medicare.

Medicare officials said they still hope to reach their goal of 7.3 million card participants by the time the discount program is replaced at the end of next year by a broader Medicare drug benefit. And they encouraged Medicare beneficiaries to sign up now.

Only a month ago, Thompson had encouraged seniors to take their time to comparison shop. But Tuesday he and McClellan conducted a series of news media interviews to encourage the nation's seniors to enroll.

"May was the time for window shopping," Thompson said. "Now it is the time to sign up and begin saving real money."

<snip>

The Associated Press quoted several of the 71 card sponsors over the weekend as saying they were disappointed by what they thought were low enrollment numbers. But neither Thompson nor McClellan agreed with the characterization.

Original Story

[papau]

1. HMOs auto enroll 2.4 million - and 0.5 m signup - out of 7.3 m goal?

It is good to set a low goal.

LOL

:-)

[MountainLaurel]

2. TV News

Was crawling all over this topic last night, noting how few people have signed up. (Can't verify the truth of this figure, but supposedly AARP surveyed it's members and less than 1,000 had signed up.) Here is some good info about what these folks are facing when they go to sign up:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9258-2004Jun2.html

[Atman]

3. AARP reported only 400 signed up

out of its entire membership mailing. Great response! Seniors LOVE Bush!

[Lou_C]

4. I love your "They Hate Us For Our President"

I heard the exact opposite about the drug cards.

[crossroads]

5. What a joke!

:shrug:

[Skittles]

6. seniors are a very savvy group

they know a f***ing scam when they see it