Lies, Damn Lies And Bush’s Medicare Statistics
Lies, Damn Lies And Bush’s Medicare Statistics
Today, President Bush repeated a highly misleading claim about the Medicare prescription drug program: “Twenty-six million seniors so far have taken a look and said, I think it’s worthwhile to sign up.â€
This figure is meant to convince the public that tens of millions of seniors have chosen to enroll in the prescription drug program. But as the Boston Globe reported a month ago, the “actual number of voluntary enrollees is much smaller, about 5 million.†The rest either were automatically enrolled or already had drug coverage from their former company’s health plan.
Ron Pollack of Families USA explained:
For an administration that frequently provides inaccurate information, the use of the 25 million enrollment figure breaks new ground in misleading propaganda. The only real number that is worth focusing on is the approximately 4 million to 5 million who now have prescription drug coverage who did not have it prior to the start of the program. Unfortunately, the administration is trying to mask that failure with an exaggerated number that has nothing to do with new people who gained coverage.
The facts haven’t gotten in the way of the White House spin, however. Below are just some of the times the administration has used the inflated number:
President Bush:
* More than 25 million people with Medicare now have prescription drug coverage, and hundreds of thousands more are enrolling each week. This new coverage is saving seniors money on their drug premiums. [2/25/06]
* And I want to tell you something. We’ve signed up 25 million people since January 1st for this new reformed system. And, sure, there’s some glitches. [2/17/06]
* About 25 million seniors have signed up for this new plan since January 1st. That’s a lot of folks in a quick period of time. [2/17/06]
* Millions of folks — about 25 million people have signed up for the new Medicare benefit. [2/16/06]
* Twenty-four million Americans have now signed up to the new Medicare plan since January 1st. That’s a lot of folks, 24 million. Hundreds of thousands are enrolling each week. [2/15/06]
* Since the program went into effect six weeks ago, more than 24 million people with Medicare now have prescription drug coverage, and hundreds of thousands more are enrolling each week. [2/11/06]
Vice President Cheney:
* The program is underway, and some 24 million Americans are going to have benefits as a result of that and live longer and be healthier while they do it. [Newshour with Jim Lehrer, 2/7/06]
Scott McClellan:
* I think there are some 26 million people that are already enrolled in the prescription drug benefit. There has been great progress made in terms of signing people up and enrolling them in the program. [Press Briefing, 3/13/06]
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March 14th, 2006 at 4:50 pmMisrepresenting facts and using them to bolster support for yourself….come on…never heard them do that before.
March 14th, 2006 at 4:54 pm#2 – Actually, it’s the only way the current administration can get any “public support” behind their agenda anymore.
Do you think the Medi-Scare legislation would have gone through if they hadn’t silenced the person who wanted to tell exactly how much it would have cost in the form it was written?
March 14th, 2006 at 4:57 pmOne of my favorite authors said ” when the going gets weird the weird turn pro ” right now you can go to Canada and buy american made drugs cheaper than where they originated . And they keep saying that a National Healthcare system wont work .
March 14th, 2006 at 5:02 pm#4 (a modification) a National health care sysyem run by these Republicans wouldn’t work.
March 14th, 2006 at 5:13 pmWhile I agree that a National Health care is needed, I have to Agree with Jeff on the fact that the current administration would just screw it up.
March 14th, 2006 at 5:23 pm#1
Now my “troll-spotting” over-under is off. All bets off everyone. Sorry.
March 14th, 2006 at 5:27 pmI dont know why they are out there promoting it. I would just pay a newspaper or t.v. journalist under the table to talk about how great it is.
March 14th, 2006 at 5:27 pmYou are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
I think Sen Moynihan (sp?) said that. If not, I’m sure one of the brilliant commenters here will correct me.
March 14th, 2006 at 5:28 pmEveryone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Yes, Zookeeper, he did say that.
And thanks for allowing me to fill in as the brilliant commenter you mentioned. I shall now go down and have a beer with the other commentators I hang out with down at the bar.
March 14th, 2006 at 5:56 pmMedicare D is another examlpe of Bush Cabal.
March 14th, 2006 at 6:03 pmSorry the word is example
March 14th, 2006 at 6:04 pmI know for a FACT that there are at least two Seniors that told Queen George the Dumb to take his program and shove it. The main reason we didn’t sign up is that all they offered was pills we won’t take anyway. Not one program offered a discount on a good Scotch or Irish whisky. Wasn’t it in the “Think Fast” section a day or two ago that the drug companies offering QGtD’s plans are not paying the independent pharmacists under the plans to drive them out of business. Another fringe benefit to the Druggies. Just as the oil companies drove out the independent station owners. Let us hope that we all can be more like Jesus and drive the bastards out of Washington.
March 14th, 2006 at 6:11 pm#10 – Thanks, Joe! Enjoy the beer(s).
March 14th, 2006 at 6:14 pmif you disagree with bush in any way, your ‘help’in the terrrrrusts. What an insult to the American people. Feingold/Clarke 08
March 14th, 2006 at 6:23 pmD’ya think he’d get tired of the same old lies and misrepresentations, instead of the ones he’s memorized?
March 14th, 2006 at 6:49 pmWait — he probably has reached the max in his memory bank – he’s at capacity.
I helped my relatives decipher this Medicare Plan D and it gets an F in my book. The fact that Bush is lying again seems pretty unspectacular, if his lips move he’s telling a lie!
March 14th, 2006 at 6:55 pmThey have been using this lie since last December. The fact is most of the people covered did not “sign up”, they were forced into it. Considering I do work with a company that specifically deals with Medicare, I have seen the numbers and it is a disgrace to this country how the administration is lying about it.
Here in Southern Ohio, John Boehner’s office was very rude with seniors when they would call about the program. Now that he has competition in the election he is suddenly all ears. What a crock.
Jamie
March 14th, 2006 at 7:12 pmhttp://www.intoxination.net
This isnt new. People in the Bush Administration said this plan was bullshit. Most are gone now or reassigned. The guy who pushed through this plan went to work for the phamicuitical industry as soon as it passed. I wrote about it here and did a great graphic.
March 14th, 2006 at 7:37 pmHow many more lies from junior before he’s down to his last one.
March 14th, 2006 at 7:40 pmSurely, each one, must be taking it’s toll.
Wait, he probably doesn’t realize he’s constantly lieing!
I mean, after a lifetime of spreading b.s., it’s now SOP for the GOP.
Halfway through the next speach, he’ll begin to sound like Homer Simpson.
When I read through the text today, I found three numbers referenced – all different: 26, 30 and 20 Million. Who knows what is accurate? Really, the number is a red herring as it is a new program, of course they are going to have many people sign up for it. Which would you choose, sign up or die?
March 14th, 2006 at 7:55 pm#21 Windspike
I chose not to sign up and I am still alive sucking on my bottle of Old Bushmills while the Cutty Sark cools. I am not sure where you developed your two alternatives: go along with Queen George the Dumb’s plan and let the drug companies kill us or don’t take their overpriced DRUGS, yes DRUGS like in Coke, Horse, Crack, or the other fancy names given by the big Druggies and just die. I am living happily ever after with my own drug of choice while merrily laughing every morning as I awaken ready, willing, and able to cuss QGtD another day.
March 14th, 2006 at 8:38 pmNot only is Medicare D a farce, the vast amount of money wasted to develop it, far outweights the benefits any senior or disabled person gets from it. There are too many IF, ANDS, or BUTS, in the programs. It was designed for seniors(and disabled) to access most of the information via the internet. A certain percentage of seniors are computer savvy, but the major were overwhelmed, and those are the ones who have computers. Even family members who tried to figure it out, gave up. Bush, no doubt, is pushing Medicare D, because the insurance companies and pharmaceuticals are complaining about not getting the big money they thought they’d be getting from this program. The program is a joke, sadly the fallout from it isn’t.
March 15th, 2006 at 11:37 amAnother Bush-Rovian fallacy of reasoning. If I’d had the choice to continue with the patch-work way I was getting my meds, I would have. Instead, I had a Hobbesian choice–either sign up with one of the Part D providers or receive no coverage for meds. This is because the pharmaceutical companies who used to provide my meds have dropped all seniors and Medicare-eligible disableds from their assistance programs. My state (MD) also offered a limited, but still better plan that filled in what the drug companies didn’t cover–but that ended on Feb. 1, too. So, now my monthly prescription bills are over $260 with Part D, plus facing “step therapy” and limitations on “dispensing amounts”, plus pre-approvals for meds I’ve been stable on for years. And that $260 doesn’t include the $53 monthly premium that I pay Humana for my drug-only coverage, the $89 a Medicare Part B premium or the $150/month Medigap premium. All this on less than $1,500 month. Yeah, George, your plan is just swell. (Gag)
March 15th, 2006 at 2:41 pmIs the idiot aware that any senior recieving medicaid is forced to sign up and if they do not then the state does it for them?
March 15th, 2006 at 7:27 pmI had plan d,it cost me more than if i did it myself!I would not recommend plan d to anybody.I was on for one year and could not wait to get off of it.The people that need these medications need to eat,and pay for heat.The sadness of this the ladies and gentlemen of this country need better than this.We have wasted more money over seas,that could have payed for our medications and balance our badget. This is a casterphae and disgrace to the ones that payed there taxes.The government wants to take care of the imigrantes and make sure they have everything!I know this when i go to the clinic and see the real young girls that are having ankar babies.This is digusting!
Please if anyone out ther that can help us in congress or the senate it would be very apprecative.P.S That is if congress and senate can get away from the lobbyist!Godbless you and your workers and family Jonny Franklin
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February 27th, 2007 at 1:27 am