President Renews Call for Prescription Drug Coverage in Medicare New HHS Study Highlights Potential for Medical Breakthroughs

In a speech at the University of Minnesota Medical College, President Bush renewed his call for congressional action to provide prescription drug coverage and improve Medicare for seniors and persons with disabilities. The President noted that the House of Representatives took an important step toward providing affordable drug coverage by passing legislation last month, and he urged quick action in the Senate on his framework for strengthening Medicare.

The President was accompanied by HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, who released a new HHS report on Securing the Benefits of Innovation for America's Seniors. The report presents a detailed analysis of the major improvements in health resulting from new breakthroughs in prescription drugs. It also highlights the differences in drug coverage between the private drug insurance plans in the United States and the government-controlled plans in many other countries, and the health consequences of restricted access to new drug treatments in government-controlled plans.

The President has proposed a comprehensive framework for strengthening Medicare that includes guaranteed access to an affordable Medicare prescription drug benefit for all seniors. MORE » The HHS report includes a detailed review of recent breakthroughs in drug treatments for the following diseases: cancer, osteoporosis and hip fractures, asthma, arthritis, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, enlarged prostate, depression, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and migraines. MORE » Life-saving and life-improving breakthrough drugs are often not available in government-run drug plans, but are generally covered by private drug plans in the United States. MORE »