For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 7, 2003
President's Radio Address
Audio
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, the House and Senate are
working on one of the most important issues facing Congress: improving
Medicare to offer prescription drug coverage to American seniors. And
on Wednesday, I will travel to Chicago and talk about our
responsibility to give seniors more choices and better benefits,
including help with the rising costs of prescription drugs.
We have a tremendous opportunity to reform Medicare and help our
seniors. The budget I proposed, and which the Congress passed,
provides $400 billion in additional funds over the next 10 years to
strengthen and improve Medicare -- so we have the resources to make
reform work. We're also seeing a growing consensus -- in both houses
of Congress and both parties -- that our seniors need a strengthened
Medicare system that includes prescription drug coverage. The time is
right to make progress.
Our nation has made a binding commitment to bring affordable health
care to our seniors. We must honor that commitment by making sure
Medicare stays current with the needs of today's seniors. When
Medicare was launched 38 years ago, medicine focused on surgery and
hospital stays -- and that is mainly what Medicare covers. Today,
doctors routinely treat their patients with prescription drugs,
preventive care, and ground-breaking medical devices -- but Medicare
coverage has not kept pace with these changes. Our goal is to give
seniors the best, most innovative care. This will require a strong,
up-to-date Medicare system that relies on innovation and competition,
not bureaucratic rules and regulations.
My views on Medicare are clear. First, those who like the Medicare
system as it is should be able to stay just where they are, and also
receive prescription drug benefits.
Second, those who want more coverage for preventive care and other
benefits should be able to choose from multiple health plans under an
enhanced Medicare program. This option would be similar to the health
care coverage available to every federal employee. If that coverage is
good enough for members of Congress and federal employees, it is good
for our seniors.
Third, seniors who want the benefits of managed care plans --
including prescription drug coverage -- should be able to choose from a
range of plans that best fit their personal needs.
And, fourth, we must provide extra help for low-income seniors, so
that all seniors will have the ability to choose the Medicare option
that serves them best -- and every senior will have the option of a
prescription drug benefit.
In a Medicare system that reflects these principles, every senior
in America would enjoy better benefits than they do today. And they
would continue to benefit from the most important strength of American
medicine: the ability to choose your own doctor. We want seniors and
doctors -- not government bureaucrats -- to be in charge of the
important health care decisions.
Members of Congress are working hard on this issue, and I encourage
their efforts. I also urge Americans to make their voices heard. If
we work together, Congress will pass a strong Medicare bill -- and our
seniors will finally get the prescription drug benefits and choices
they need and deserve.
Thank you for listening.
END
|