Bush briefs Ensign on Medicare

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Monday, Jan. 28, 2002 | 10:50 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., was scheduled to meet with President Bush and other lawmakers today for a strategy session on the issue of providing prescription drug coverage for Medicare patients.

Bush is expected to outline his goals on the topic in his State of the Union address Tuesday night. Bush had proposed new prescription drug benefits last year at a White House ceremony attended by Ensign and other Republican lawmakers whom Bush had tapped to help shepherd Medicare reform proposals through Congress.

But the concept of providing seniors with expanded prescription drug coverage has been bogged down by partisan differences in Congress. Bush is expected to ask for action on the issue this year.

One idea Bush had proposed was providing all seniors with a prescription drug card endorsed by Medicare but still administered by private health plans. The health plan companies could use the high number of card carriers to negotiate with drug manufacturers up to 25 percent in savings for consumers.