OMB Says Medicare Drug Law Could Cost Still More
473188
President Bush promised Congress that his Medicare prescription drug benefit would cost no more than $400 billion over 10 years, but once the legislation was enacted, federal actuaries boosted the estimate to $534 billion.
546930
Medicare premiums for doctor visits are going up a record &#36;11.60 a month next year. The Bush administration says the increase reflects a strengthened Medicare, while Democrats complain that seniors are being unfairly socked.
29960
Hundreds of thousands of retirees with company-sponsored drug coverage may lose their employer-paid benefit when the new Medicare drug law takes effect in 2006, a new study suggests.
262953
The new Medicare law has touched off a huge battle between insurance companies and drug companies that could determine how many medicines will be readily available to Medicare beneficiaries.
599880
Federal number crunchers said yesterday that the new Medicare drug benefit appears to be slowing the growth in national spending on prescription medicines because the drug plans are negotiating lower prices with drug companies.
617505
As some lawmakers clamor for letting Medicare directly negotiate drug prices, Medicare's chief said on Wednesday that the health program for the elderly could save more money by letting the private sector set prices.
431405
When people enroll in a Medicare drug plan later this year, the first option for paying their monthly premiums will no longer be through a deduction in their Social Security check. Instead, the government will encourage beneficiaries to pay insurers directly.
270014
Federal officials say rising costs, increased payments and some new benefits mean Medicare must raise its Part B premium 17% next year for most of the nearly 42 million seniors and disabled people covered by the program.
202403
One part of the new Medicare drug plan passed by Congress earlier this year could live up to its advance clippings and save people a lot of money.
550199
A senior Senate Republican said on  Sunday Congress should adjust the Medicare drug benefit to rein  in costs, even though President Bush has threatened to veto any  weakening of the plan.
249452
The prices Americans pay for prescription drugs would fall &#151; though not to the levels of Canada or Europe &#151; if the government let consumers buy medications abroad, lawmakers were told Wednesday.
407522
Few Employers Say They Will Drop Coverage In 2006 When Medicare Drug Law Is Implemented - As businesses struggle to control rising retiree health costs, they are asking their retirees to pay more and plan to do so again in 2005, according to a new survey
476414
WASHINGTON - Far from the expected deluge, relatively few patients with cancer and other serious illnesses have applied for generous early Medicare prescription drug coverage.    The Bush administration was planning a lottery to determine who would get the 50,000 slots included in last year's Medicare prescription drug law...
436158
Many cannot easily shop around for the best bargains on their drugs, as other Medicare beneficiaries are supposed to do.
373659
TUESDAY, Sept. 12 (HealthDay News) -- The fear that the new Medicare drug plan would limit access to medicines hasn't come true, as least as far as cancer treatment is concerned, a new report finds.
195666
Wider coverage for expensive  implanted heart devices likely will cost the U.S. Medicare  program for seniors about $2 billion over five years, the  program's administrator said on Thursday.
511301
Medicare premiums for doctor visits are going up a record $11.60 a month next year. The Bush administration says the increase reflects a strengthened Medicare, while Democrats complain that seniors are being unfairly socked.