New views, new controversy
We have two new interviews published today that are worth a read. One is from Billy Tauzin, the head of PhRMA, the pharmaceutical industry trade group, and the other is from Bill Novelli, who is the CEO of AARP. They both have specific views, of course, that address each group's demographic needs, but you'll find, as with all the other interviews in the 1 on 1 interview section in our election special, that there are many areas of agreement.
Among them, that health care is important in this election and we need to find a way to help people that are uninsured.
There's also another issue still brewing on Capitol Hill that could be a key topic in the upcoming election: the Medicare prescription drug plan. The Democrats have released a new report showing that Part D, the Medicare prescription drug plan, may be limiting Medicare recipients' cost savings, which is a different story than what we've been hearing lately.
Why the new info? Since the Democrats took over the House, U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman became chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, and he says he now has access to documents that he didn't have before. The Republicans, and some others, dispute this new report.
I doubt this is the last we'll hear about this issue.
If you want to weigh in on your experience with Part D, and this new report, you can do so here.
Another issue we've discussed in this blog, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the expansion of which was vetoed by President Bush, is expected to come up for an override vote this Thursday. It is not expected to get enough votes to snuff out the veto.
In a new USA Today/Gallup poll, it seems the American public is on the fence about the topic. Just over half have confidence in the Democrats to handle the issue while about the same amount, in a nod to Bush, think that the program must focus on families earning about $41,000 for a family of four.
Among them, that health care is important in this election and we need to find a way to help people that are uninsured.
There's also another issue still brewing on Capitol Hill that could be a key topic in the upcoming election: the Medicare prescription drug plan. The Democrats have released a new report showing that Part D, the Medicare prescription drug plan, may be limiting Medicare recipients' cost savings, which is a different story than what we've been hearing lately.
Why the new info? Since the Democrats took over the House, U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman became chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, and he says he now has access to documents that he didn't have before. The Republicans, and some others, dispute this new report.
I doubt this is the last we'll hear about this issue.
If you want to weigh in on your experience with Part D, and this new report, you can do so here.
Another issue we've discussed in this blog, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the expansion of which was vetoed by President Bush, is expected to come up for an override vote this Thursday. It is not expected to get enough votes to snuff out the veto.
In a new USA Today/Gallup poll, it seems the American public is on the fence about the topic. Just over half have confidence in the Democrats to handle the issue while about the same amount, in a nod to Bush, think that the program must focus on families earning about $41,000 for a family of four.
We'll keep you posted.
Sean Swint
Executive Editor, WebMD
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