Bush: Medicare Drug Changes Saving Money

U.S. President George W. Bush said changes he sought in the Medicare drug benefit are saving money for U.S. seniors.

Bush acknowledged during his weekly radio address Saturday that when program enrollment began, many seniors complained of the complexity — confusion caused in part by more plans than expected being offered.

But the president said some 24 million people have signed up and hundreds of thousands of others join each week. He said because of the new plan the federal government will pay 20 percent less on the Medicare drug benefit than projections last July indicated.

Bush said the typical senior will end up paying about half of what he previously paid for prescription drugs.

Despite early challenges, the results so far are clear: The new Medicare prescription drug plan is a good deal for seniors, he said.

Prescription drug coverage under Medicare has been available for just a few weeks but its benefits will last for decades to come, said Bush. I was proud to sign this Medicare reform into law. And because we acted, millions of American seniors are now saving money, getting the life-saving drugs they need and receiving the modern healthcare they deserve.