Editorial: Drug maker offers discounts to seniors

Friday, Oct. 5, 2001 | 9:04 a.m.

It was good to see this week that pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline will offer its own prescription drug discount card for Medicare recipients. After all, President Bush's plan to create a similar program in coordination with drug companies has gotten off to a rocky start, with consumer groups and many pharmacies leading the opposition. Drugstore chains sued earlier this year, contending that Bush's plan didn't adequately disclose who would have to subsidize this program. Last month a federal judge blocked Bush's program, creating even more uncertainty.

Seniors, meanwhile, aren't being helped as the debate goes on in Washington over what kind of drug discount program should be offered. Those who aren't enrolled in supplemental Medicare insurance programs face huge bills since Medicare currently doesn't cover the cost of prescription drugs. The best long-term remedy is for Congress and the president to agree upon a prescription drug plan for all Medicare recipients, but in the short term the best hope to reduce costs for seniors is the discount cards provided individually by pharmaceutical companies.