Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Bush Calls Proposed Overhaul of Medicare Complex Piece of Legislation
Aired November 17, 2003 - 05:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush calls his proposed overhaul of Medicare a complex piece of legislation, but Democrats say whether complex or not, they don't like it.
He's CNN congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Clearly buoyed by news of a Medicare deal, President Bush challenged Congress to get it passed.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think there's going to be immense pressure on members of both the House and Senate to support this bill. It's a good piece of legislation. It is a complex piece of legislation. After all, we're changing a Medicare system that has been stuck in the past for a long period of time.
KARL: But Democrats attacked the deal even before it was officially announced.
SEN. TED KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: The Republicans are looking out after the insurance industry and the drug industry and they are leaving the seniors behind.
KARL: Under the plan, seniors would pay $35 a month and have a $275 deductible for prescription drug coverage starting in the year 2006. Medicare would cover 75 percent of drug costs, from $275 to $2,200. And Medicare would pay 95 percent of drug costs above $3,600. But Medicare pays none of the drug costs in between $2,200 and $3,600. A fuller benefit would have cost significantly more than the $400 billion set aside for the bill. The bill would also make changes to traditional Medicare coverage, including a pilot program that would subject Medicare to competition from private insurance companies in parts of the country. Most Democrats and some Republicans say competition will hurt Medicare.
KENNEDY: It'll do harm to the Medicare system and I think that that's unacceptable and I don't believe it'll pass the United States Senate.
KARL: But two key Senate Democrats helped craft the compromise.
SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D), MONTANA: I would never vote for a bill which I thought would undermine traditional Medicare. And this bill does not do that. KARL: Some congressional conservatives don't like the bill because they believe costs will explode beyond the current $400 billion estimate over 10 years. Even at that cost, it will be the biggest expansion of the federal government since Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs of the 1960s.
(on camera): AARP, which represents more than 35 million Americans over age 50, put out a statement saying it is pleased with aspects of the bill and hopeful it will lead to prescription drug coverage for seniors. Republicans are hoping they will get a formal AARP endorsement, which would make it significantly easier to pass the bill.
Jonathan Karl, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO:
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Legislation>
Aired November 17, 2003 - 05:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush calls his proposed overhaul of Medicare a complex piece of legislation, but Democrats say whether complex or not, they don't like it.
He's CNN congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Clearly buoyed by news of a Medicare deal, President Bush challenged Congress to get it passed.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think there's going to be immense pressure on members of both the House and Senate to support this bill. It's a good piece of legislation. It is a complex piece of legislation. After all, we're changing a Medicare system that has been stuck in the past for a long period of time.
KARL: But Democrats attacked the deal even before it was officially announced.
SEN. TED KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: The Republicans are looking out after the insurance industry and the drug industry and they are leaving the seniors behind.
KARL: Under the plan, seniors would pay $35 a month and have a $275 deductible for prescription drug coverage starting in the year 2006. Medicare would cover 75 percent of drug costs, from $275 to $2,200. And Medicare would pay 95 percent of drug costs above $3,600. But Medicare pays none of the drug costs in between $2,200 and $3,600. A fuller benefit would have cost significantly more than the $400 billion set aside for the bill. The bill would also make changes to traditional Medicare coverage, including a pilot program that would subject Medicare to competition from private insurance companies in parts of the country. Most Democrats and some Republicans say competition will hurt Medicare.
KENNEDY: It'll do harm to the Medicare system and I think that that's unacceptable and I don't believe it'll pass the United States Senate.
KARL: But two key Senate Democrats helped craft the compromise.
SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D), MONTANA: I would never vote for a bill which I thought would undermine traditional Medicare. And this bill does not do that. KARL: Some congressional conservatives don't like the bill because they believe costs will explode beyond the current $400 billion estimate over 10 years. Even at that cost, it will be the biggest expansion of the federal government since Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs of the 1960s.
(on camera): AARP, which represents more than 35 million Americans over age 50, put out a statement saying it is pleased with aspects of the bill and hopeful it will lead to prescription drug coverage for seniors. Republicans are hoping they will get a formal AARP endorsement, which would make it significantly easier to pass the bill.
Jonathan Karl, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO:
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Legislation>
