03-10-2001

HEALTH: A Vow to Go for It on Medicare Reform

Despite the heavy emphasis during the fall campaigns on helping seniors
purchase medicine, top congressional Republicans and Democratic health
care guru Sen. John Breaux of Louisiana emerged from a March 5 meeting
with President Bush to affirm that they aren't the types to put the cart
before the horse: They said they are ready to pass comprehensive Medicare
reform this year, with a new prescription drug benefit as part of the
package. Several in the group-which included Senate Finance Committee
Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa; House Ways and Means Committee Chairman
Bill Thomas, R-Calif.; House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman W.J.
"Billy" Tauzin, R-La.; and Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn.-indicated
they would use the "Breaux-Frist" Medicare reform bill as the
basis for getting started. Bush likes the Breaux-Frist proposal, which
Thomas also had a major role in shaping, and will submit a set of
"principles" but not detailed legislation, according to Frist.
Many Democrats are sure to oppose anything too similar to the Breaux-Frist
plan, which they believe imperils traditional Medicare by forcing the old
fee-for-service program to compete for patients against the newer managed
care option. Grassley said he will start marking up a bill in July. Rarely
mentioned these days-even by Bush-is his "Immediate Helping
Hand" initiative to provide funds to states to help seniors buy
prescription drugs. White House officials now indicate that the idea,
hatched during the campaign, is a fallback to be used in case little else
gets done.


Keith Koffler/CongressDaily

National Journal