Bush Administration Meets Medicare Enrollment Goals By Lowering Them
Bush Administration Meets Medicare Enrollment Goals By Lowering Them
Yesterday was the deadline to sign up for the Medicare prescription drug plan (Part D). As of last week, Medicare administrator Dr. Mark McClellan said that “37 million people [out of 43 million] with Medicare have prescription drug coverage.” In late April, Medicare spokesman Peter Ashkenaz was already bragging:
Enrollment is surpassing our goals, satisfaction is high, and we see no reason to extend a deadline that’s working.
But Part D enrollment hasn’t even met the administration’s goals, let alone surpassed them. In 2004, the Bush administration projected that 40.7 million seniors and Americans with disabilities would sign up for its Medicare prescription drug plan (Part D).
So why are administration officials congratulating themselves? In 2005, CMS announced that its goals were now 10 million people lower: “28 to 30 million enrollees in the first year.”
It’s easy to claim success when you keep lowering the bar.
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You guys keep forgetting, the Bush Administration creates it’s own reality.
May 16th, 2006 at 11:56 amThis administration has the highest concentration of snake-oil salesmen and hucksters ever known to man. I hope we, as a county, will have the opportunity to learn from our mistakes.
May 16th, 2006 at 11:57 amso bush’s approval rating right now is 98% of 1/3 of the country…wee lets play with numbers
May 16th, 2006 at 11:59 amThis Administration is the best limbo administration EVER!
If only they cared about the 98% of the populace they never address. I guess that 2% takes alot of hard work…..
May 16th, 2006 at 12:00 pmI was wondering where I had seen that asswipe before. Of course!! He is Scottie’s older brother!
Not that I am suggesting that the Bush Administration is full of cronyism.
May 16th, 2006 at 12:00 pmbush’s approval rating is 98% of 1/3 of the country…wheee playing with numebrs is fun
May 16th, 2006 at 12:00 pmWith this Adminstration its not about helping people…
It about helping themselves look good….dispicable
May 16th, 2006 at 12:01 pmSorry guys, but this is deeply misleading. The White House did, indeed, initially predict “39 million”. They revised that fairly quickly, though after some Wall Street analysis, down to “28 million to 30 million”. They made that revision public and that was the number they’ve been touting for about a year or so now.
It’s very misleading to claim that CMS has “now” lowered it’s estimate “In March 2006″.
May 16th, 2006 at 12:03 pmI thought the exact same thing.. he looks JUST like Scott!
May 16th, 2006 at 12:07 pm#10 – He doesn’t look like his head is going to be pinched off by his collar — yet.
May 16th, 2006 at 12:10 pmThe chocolate ration has been raised to 20 grams per week. From 30.
May 16th, 2006 at 12:13 pmHow Orwellian.
#8 – Thanks for the note. I’ve amended the post to note that the goals were actually changed in 2005.
May 16th, 2006 at 12:13 pmYou nailed it joe sixpack….I saw that face and thought…LIER…whoever he is,because of my kneejerk reaction to scott mc clellan.
May 16th, 2006 at 12:15 pmLook, I am sure the original prediction was a misprint by the media and the Bush admin is hard at work recalling all those old papers and news reports, correcting the error and then reprinting them with the proper predictions.
They will probably also have to remind us at that point that we’ve always been at war with Iran.
May 16th, 2006 at 12:17 pmBush’s approval rating is 196 percent of 1/6 of the country. numbers schmumbers, they’re like a toy, it’s fun to play with them.
Liars figure and figures lie.
They’re aren’t enough people on drugs; especially the Bush Cabal. They need them the most of all.
How many returning Iraq vets are going to be on drugs for the rest of their lives?
Prozac nation
May 16th, 2006 at 12:20 pmThe Bush Administration is too busy showing respect to the Butcher of Lockerbie–Muammar Ghaddaffy. he is now the new and bestest buddy of Bush and Condi.
They heart Libya now. They trust Libya now.
-GSD
May 16th, 2006 at 12:21 pm#10 was meant for #9. Oops.
May 16th, 2006 at 12:22 pm“Come on, Toto. We’re off to see the Wizard, to find out what other wonderful facts he received from Peter Pan, in NeverNever Land!”
“Beam me up, Scotty, there’s definitely no intelligence, in this Administration!!”
May 16th, 2006 at 12:24 pm#18 – imagine an alien beaming into the WH and thinking all Americans were like the slime currently residing there.
Then again, it would probably end up in some secret CIA prison that doesn’t really exist except for the people who are sent and tortured there daily!!
May 16th, 2006 at 12:29 pm#20 Jules
May 16th, 2006 at 12:49 pmIf aliens thought we were all like those in the WH, then they’d nuke this planet and think they did the Universe a favor. If they could only figure out how to pick and choose who to nuke. We might have a large hole in DC, but after the radiation dispensed, we could have a nice lake resort.
No one in the Bush administration has ever make a mistake. Their record of success is, in a word, unbelievable.
May 16th, 2006 at 1:01 pmThis doesn’t even address the fact that most of those 37 million seniors have just been transferred from one program to this one.
Only 9 million NEW enrollees exist.
But 37 million sounds so much more impressive, so they use that number instead.
May 16th, 2006 at 1:09 pmYeah and it was misleading for Andrew Natsios said that the war in Iraq will cost the taxpayers $1.7 billion.
It was misleading for Donald Rumsfeld to say that the war would take six days, six weeks, but not six months.
It was misleading for George W Bush to say mission accomplished on May 1, 2003.
You are just being nit picky.
May 16th, 2006 at 1:12 pmHA! THE SAME STRATEGY THEY’VE BEEN USING IN IRAQ.
May 16th, 2006 at 1:23 pm#26 Spudge,
Nit Picky is all they got. As the bigger picture can’t be argued with. The bigger picture is that healthcare in this country is in a state of crisis, no signs of getting better, and this latest attempt to help it, has made no long term, lasting affect on the crisis.
They know this, so getting nit picky about details is all they got.
Heck, notice that Mighty has been reduced to attacking the character of people who post here, I would be hardpressed to find a post by Mighty that logically argues the issues, in the last couple months or so, as the emperor’s lack of clothing has recently become too obvious for even the trolls to ignore.
May 16th, 2006 at 1:34 pmFor Truth,
Did you ever read my Blade analogy?
MA, I-R-I and the rest are the humans (trolls) who want nothing more to be turned (made), but the vampires (neocons) are only using them (votes).
May 16th, 2006 at 1:39 pmIs this McClellan related to Scott McClellan?
May 16th, 2006 at 1:49 pm#29 – Brothers.
May 16th, 2006 at 1:52 pmSanto, please stop yelling at us.
May 16th, 2006 at 1:56 pmbush’s approval rating is 98% of 1/3 of the country…wheee playing with numebrs is fun
Comment by bushllit #6
bushllit,
hahahahahahaha!!! Verrry good…
…Now THAT’s what I call “creative accounting”…
Republiscum Bushites…(and I’m NOT placing YOU in that category)
…creating reality…
…one debacle at a time…
May 16th, 2006 at 1:58 pmWe really shouldn’t lower the standards of our society to accomodate senior citizens. Extending the deadline to enroll would amount to amnesty for old people.
May 16th, 2006 at 2:12 pmWho is this Santo person? Are you attempting to be sarcastic or belittling in your posts?
I was genuinely curious about this other McClellan character. I just had a daughter two weeks ago, so my mind hasn’t been as clearly focused on the Medicare debacle as it ought to be.
May 16th, 2006 at 2:15 pmWe are talking about a Bush brother here. George Bush.
May 16th, 2006 at 2:39 pmSANTO….. QUIT SHOUTING!!!
May 16th, 2006 at 2:43 pmWhy dosent anyone comment on the 25 million people who were automatically enrolled. That means only how many million signed up ?
May 16th, 2006 at 4:08 pmI am not for censorship – but in Santo’s case, she isn’t actually saying anything coherent, relevent, or interesting. Just repeating the same jibberish over and over despite being ignored and asked to stop derailing other conversations. With that one, it’s like tossing out junk mail. Not censorship, but sparing yourself from wasting brain cells on the trash.
May 16th, 2006 at 4:12 pmIf anyone’s mental soundness, capacity, and reasoning skills are in question in this forum, I would be willing to bet it is not Unbelievable’s.
Some people should seriously consider professional help for whatever it is that’s bothering them. Or maybe look for human interaction; I think the lack of it is taking its toll…
May 16th, 2006 at 4:39 pmHi Gregor,
Haven’t seen you much lately. Taking a break?
Thanks for the vote of confidence. That one has been trying to harrass me since I debunked the architecture portions of her 9/11 conspiracy plot. Yesterday she was rudely trying to interrupt a conversation clif, Jules, Squeegeboo and I were having on topic (surprisingly enough). Was worse than the “me, me, me” mentality of some students. And ignoring her only seems to make the intrustions worse. I’m beyond pity at this point. :)
May 16th, 2006 at 4:44 pmIsn’t that typical for Bush&Co?
May 16th, 2006 at 4:50 pmChange the parameters so your figures can look good, whether we are talking about war casualties, or seniors, children, or Americans in poverty — just change the standards (lower the bar).
These guys are sickening.
BTW does anyone know if the so called “donut hole” grows exponentially every year? I am trying to gather info for someone and I heard that, but maybe I heard wrong.
Haven’t seen you much lately. Taking a break?
Comment by unbelievable — May 16, 2006 @ 4:44 pm
Hi Unbelievable, I have been following but haven’t posted much. A break of sorts as I have been busy on personal and work-related matters. Wish I were rich enough to not worry about making money ::sigh::
That one has been trying to harrass me since I debunked the architecture portions of her 9/11 conspiracy plot.
I noticed. Let’s not even mention the plot. I am afraid we will start a Byzantine discussion with people trying to “prove” they are right because “what else can it be?”. Bah.
Although certain person’s babblings seem quite appropriate in a thread on Medicare prescription drug plans :-))
May 16th, 2006 at 5:17 pmWish I were rich enough to not worry about making money ::sigh::
I met someone in Turks and Caisos on a scuba diving trip some years ago. He’d just closed a real estate deal in California that set him for life, I think he was in his mid-thirties. Oddly, he was a bit depressed because he didn’t know what to do with himself without that motivation – both financially and sort of ethically. I was surprised that he saw it as a burden in any regard. Had never thought about the ramifications of financial independence really.
If you didn’t have to work – what would yo do?
Although certain person’s babblings seem quite appropriate in a thread on Medicare prescription drug plans :-))
Comment by Gregor Samsa — May 16, 2006 @ 5:17 pm
Ha! Good one!
May 16th, 2006 at 5:29 pmGREGOR… off topic a little but that is one sad peson if there is no motivation other than making a ton of money. kind of what is wrong with the US if you ask me. How about?? helping others to get a roof over their head. or mentoring or well the list could go on and on! very disturbing!
May 16th, 2006 at 5:41 pmDEAR THINK PROGRESS… please take away Santo’s cap key?? and while you are at it her BOLD tab. thank you very much.
May 16th, 2006 at 5:50 pmMeg_mac,
Yeah, I wish my motivation was beyond getting a paycheck. I say that without irony. And it is not even a ton of money, but enough to pay my bills and occasionally get out of town on weekends with my family.
Unbelievable & meg_mac,
Helping others is laudable, but I actually lean more towards an area of that can give us an insight on who we (humans) are and how we came to be like primatology, zoosemiotics, palaeontology. I am not a biologist but I have always been interested in that field. Call me selfish…
May 16th, 2006 at 6:15 pmGregor – how about Teacher? ; ) (sorry I couldn’t resist).
Don’t you just love Science Museums?
May 16th, 2006 at 6:34 pmDon’t you just love Science Museums?
Comment by unbelievable — May 16, 2006 @ 6:34 pm
Can’t stay away… that and zoos. We are trying to get our kids interested in the world around them, and encourage them to ask questions about the what, why, and how. Discovery Channel lends a helping hand ;-)
May 16th, 2006 at 6:52 pmDiscovery Channel lends a helping hand ;-)
Comment by Gregor Samsa — May 16, 2006 @ 6:52 pm
We need more parents like you and your wife. I have a handful of kids who are very interested in science, and are always asking questions about the world around them. It’s a joy to teach them because I sometimes don’t know the answers to their questions and have to go find out. I have one who challenges me sometimes as well. He’s respectful about it, and I always get back to him with more information. As a result, he comes to me to ask questions about other subjects or life in general. I tell him routinely to go home and hug his mom and dad for me :).
There are many teachers though who don’t encourage debate or free thinking. I would say it is a majority here. They want the students to follow the rules without understanding why. I actually heard one say “Because I said so. You don’t need to know.” She’s a good teacher, but her days are frequently a battle and I see her having a heart attack one day from the stress she creates.
I finished planning the first assignment for my Architecture I class. I’m going to introduce them to Sameul Mockbee and Rural Studio, then have them use found objects to design and construct a functional household object – such as a chair or a lamp. I can’t wait to see what they come up with. Too bad it won’t happen until August :).
May 17th, 2006 at 7:54 amFirst video of Pentagon 9/11 attack released
Watchdog group says video will end ‘conspiracy theories’
Tuesday, May 16, 2006; Posted: 11:51 p.m. EDT (03:51 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Video showing a plane crashing into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, was released publicly for the first time Tuesday, a judicial watchdog group said.
The Justice Department has handed over tapes showing American Airlines Flight 77 striking the building outside Washington to Judicial Watch, a public interest group that requested the video, the group said.
The video is available on the group’s Web site, according to a news release from Judicial Watch.
At least two tapes were released, from different security cameras. The two cameras, from the same Pentagon checkpoint, show the building from different angles.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/16/pentagon.video/index.html
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