Bush Chided Over Drug Aid Plan

WASHINGTON —  President Bush has not done enough to ensure that all older Americans receive enough money to cover the expensive prescription drugs so many must purchase, a Democratic senator said Saturday.

In his party’s weekly radio address, Sen. John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV of West Virginia said Bush promised money for all seniors while a candidate.

He hasn’t made good, Rockefeller said.

“When President Bush submitted his budget last month, he backed away from that commitment to provide coverage to all seniors,” Rockefeller said. “Even though costs are rising, President Bush proposed even less funding for prescription drugs than Congress approved last year.”

The Bush administration is touting its revised plan to promote private drug discount cards as a much-needed step toward helping seniors save money on prescriptions.

The plan, unveiled this week, encourages older Americans to buy discount cards from private companies by giving some cards what amounts to a government seal of approval. After paying a onetime enrollment fee--not more than $25--senior citizens could get discounts of up to 15% on some medicines, White House officials said.

But Rockefeller said the plan won’t help enough seniors and that many wouldn’t realize significant savings.

“Prescription drug costs are climbing almost 20% a year, five times the rate of inflation,” he said. “Even more outrageous, Americans pay an average of almost twice as much for the same prescription drug medication as people pay in other countries.”