    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [June 28, 2003]
    [Pages 712-713]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    June 28, 2003

        Good morning. This week, the United States Congress passed historic
    legislation to strengthen and modernize Medicare. Under the House and
    Senate bills, American seniors would, for the first time in Medicare's
    38-year history, receive prescription drug coverage.
        We're taking action because Medicare has not kept up with the
    advances of modern medicine. The program was designed in the 1960s, a
    time when hospital stays were common and drug therapies were rare. Now,
    drugs and other treatments can reduce hospital stays while dramatically
    improving the quality of care. Because Medicare does not provide
    coverage to pay for these drugs, many seniors have to pay for
    prescriptions out of pocket, which often forces them to make the
    difficult choice of paying for medicine or meeting other expenses.
        In January, I submitted to Congress a framework for Medicare reform
    that insisted on giving seniors access to prescription drug coverage and
    offering more choices under Medicare. The centerpiece of this approach
    is choice. Seniors should be able to choose the health care plans that
    suit their needs. When health care plans compete for their business,
    seniors will have better, more affordable options for their health
    coverage. Members of Congress and other Federal employees already have
    the ability to choose among health care plans. If choice is good enough
    for lawmakers, it is good enough for America's seniors.
        I'm pleased to see that Congress has accepted the principle of
    choice for seniors. Under the provisions of both the House and Senate
    bills, seniors who want to stay in the current Medicare system will have
    that option, plus a new prescription drug benefit. Seniors who want
    enhanced benefits, such as coverage for preventative care and a cap on
    out-of-pocket costs, will have that choice as well. Seniors who like the
    affordability of managed care plans will be able to enroll in such
    plans. And low-income seniors will receive extra help so that all
    seniors will have the ability to choose

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    a Medicare option that includes prescription drug benefits.
        My framework for Medicare reform also called for immediate help to
    seniors through a prescription drug discount card. And I'm pleased that
    both the House and Senate bills would make a discount card available to
    seniors. The card would help senior citizens by reducing their
    prescription drug costs, beginning early next year and continuing until
    the new prescription drug program under Medicare takes full effect in
    2006.
        The Congress must now pass a final bill that makes the Medicare
    system work better for America's seniors. This is an issue of vital
    importance to senior citizens all across our country. They have waited
    years for a modern Medicare system, and they should not have to wait any
    longer.
        Earlier this month in Chicago, I met Gene Preston and his wife, Dorothy. They
    spend about $300 a month on prescription drugs, and they do not have
    prescription drug coverage. Gene says, ``Everything is going up in
    price. Before, we could save a couple of bucks at the end of the month.
    But right now we're just holding even, if not going below even.'' When
    Congress completes its work, seniors like Gene and Dorothy Preston can
    look forward to better health care coverage and relief from the rising
    cost of prescription drugs.
        I appreciate the hard work of Members of Congress who have set aside
    partisan differences to do what is best for the American people. I urge
    Members to seize this opportunity to achieve a great and compassionate
    goal. I urge them to finish the job of strengthening and modernizing
    Medicare, so that I can sign this crucial reform into law.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 2:35 p.m. on June 26 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on June 28. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    June 27 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office of
    the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this
    address.