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Skriven 2005-11-12 23:33:18 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (051112) for Sat, 2005 Nov 12
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President's Radio Address
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For Immediate Release
November 12, 2005

President's Radio Address


ÿÿÿÿÿAudio
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THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This coming Tuesday, America's Medicare
beneficiaries can begin to enroll for new prescription drug coverage. This
new benefit is the greatest advance in health care for seniors and
Americans with disabilities since the creation of Medicare 40 years ago.

In the past, Medicare would pay tens of thousands of dollars for ulcer
surgery, but not a few hundred dollars for prescription drugs that
eliminate the cause of most ulcers. In the past, Medicare would pay more
than $100,000 to treat the effects of a stroke, but not $1,000 per year for
blood-thinning drugs that could have prevented the stroke in the first
place.

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With this new prescription drug benefit, Medicare will now help pay for the
prescription drugs that can prevent serious illness. Seniors will get more
choices and better treatment, and America will get a Medicare system to fit
the needs of the 21st century.

The new coverage will begin on January 1st. If you or someone you love
depends on Medicare, I urge you to learn about the new choices you have so
you can make a decision and enroll. Enrollment is entirely voluntary, and
seniors who want to keep their Medicare coverage the way it is will be able
to do so. But for those who want to take advantage of this new drug
benefit, enrolling by May 15th will ensure you the lowest possible
premiums. The sooner you enroll, the sooner you can have the peace of mind
this coverage will bring.

The new prescription drug coverage will benefit people on Medicare in three
important ways. First, it will help all seniors and Americans with
disabilities pay for prescription drugs, no matter how they pay for their
medicine now. Seniors who have no drug coverage and have average
prescription drug costs will see savings of at least 50 percent. And
seniors who have the highest drug costs will receive special help. Starting
in January, once a senior has spent $3,600 in a year, Medicare will cover
95 percent of all prescription costs.

Second, this new coverage will offer more and better health care choices
than ever before. That means seniors can save more and get the coverage
they want -- not a "one size fits all" plan that does not meet their needs.
Every prescription drug plan will offer a broad choice of generic and
brand-name drugs, and seniors will be able to select any Medicare
prescription drug plan in their area that fits their needs and their
medical history.

Third, this new prescription drug coverage will provide extra help to
low-income seniors and beneficiaries with disabilities. About a third of
the seniors will be eligible for a Medicare prescription drug benefit that
includes little or no premiums, low deductibles, and no gaps in coverage.
On average, Medicare will pick up the tab for more than 95 percent of the
costs that low-income seniors pay for prescription drugs.

The days of low-income seniors having to make painful sacrifices to pay for
their prescription drugs are now coming to an end. Last month, those of you
on Medicare received in the mail a handbook called "Medicare and You" that
includes detailed information about your options. Citizen groups and
faith-based organizations across America are also working to spread the
word so that Medicare recipients can get their questions answered and make
informed choices.

If you have Medicare, I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to
learn more. Review your choices, and make the decision that is right for
you. If you have family or friends on Medicare, you can help too. Helping
can be as simple as showing an older neighbor how to fill out a form, or
making a call for your mom or dad. You can get information 24 hours a day
by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, or by visiting the official Medicare website at
Medicare.gov.

In the 21st century, preventing and treating illness often require
prescription drugs. In the coming months, we will help every Medicare
recipient make a confident choice about their prescription drug coverage.
By expanding drug coverage for our nation's seniors, we will help all
Americans on Medicare receive the modern health care they deserve.

Thank you for listening.

END
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051112.html

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