Q Scott, what are the prospects of extending the deadline for the Medicare prescription drug sign-up?The question remains hanging in the air as McClellan walks his candy ass out of the press briefing room. I want to know why extending the enrollment deadline would be a bad for business. Don't you?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, that's the open enrollment deadline. That's why we're making the point that you need to sign up now, and encouraging people to do so. The President does not think that would be a good idea. After that time period, I think there's a penalty of up to 1 percent for enrolling in the program at that point. But there's a reason that's in place, and that's to encourage as many people as possible to get signed up.
And I think what you're seeing with the Medicare prescription drug benefit is that the vast majority, the overwhelming majority of seniors are very satisfied with it and believe it's working well for them. They are realizing significant savings. As I pointed out, the average beneficiary will save an estimated more than $1,100 this year alone. The original estimates or projections on the premiums are significantly below where they were when we first started this program. So the overwhelming majority of seniors are saying, this is working well, and they haven't had any problems with their prescription drug benefit, and they're, in fact, very pleased that they're realizing significant savings.
Q But given the ongoing confusion for many --
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't -- I don't know that I agree with that, Peter.
Q Well, I mean, there are some members of Congress who are still hearing from their constituents that they're confused about this and some --
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I think there are still some members of Congress that are trying to politicize this issue. The AARP recently spoke out about that. They said -- they said -- "The focus should be on helping people, not playing politics. Discouraging enrollment is a disservice to the millions who could be saving money on prescription drugs." This is what the AARP said. And that's where all of us should be focusing, is on making sure that this program is working as well as possible for those who depend on it and those who need help with their prescription drugs.
Q So there's no chance it will be extended past May 15th?
MR. McCLELLAN: We don't think that would be a good idea, and the President has expressed his opposition to doing so.
Q Thank you.
MR. McCLELLAN: Thank you.
Monday, April 10, 2006
What's Wrong With Extending The New, Bigger Government Drug Benefit Deadline?
Since when does Scotty speak for the AARP? When it's to his political advantage - which is why they are not keen on the idea of extending the W, Rove and Co's brand new, prescription drug benefit...it means bigger, not smaller governement and they know it:
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That depends on what the definition of 'beneficiary' is
MR. McCLELLAN: ... the average beneficiary will save an estimated more than $1,100 this year ...
If you're merely paying for Medicare Part D insurance, you're outside McClellan's description. You're not a 'beneficiary,' according to McClellan, unless you're collecting on the drug benefit.
Schmuck and mirrors
Part D is an insurance program. You're supposed to benefit from buying insurance, not from collecting on it. Were McClellan selling auto insurance he'd say, 'The average beneficiary will save an estimated $6000 this year,' when the reality is that the average auto policy holder, the true average beneficiary (the benefit is being insured) will pay $2000 this year.
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