    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [November 12, 2005]
    [Pages 1709-1710]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    November 12, 2005

        Good morning. This coming Tuesday, America's Medicare beneficiaries
    can begin to enroll for new prescription drug coverage. This new benefit
    is the greatest advance in health care for seniors and Americans with
    disabilities since the creation of Medicare 40 years ago.
        In the past, Medicare would pay tens of thousands of dollars for
    ulcer surgery but not a few hundred dollars for prescription drugs that
    eliminate the cause of most ulcers. In the past, Medicare would pay more
    than $100,000 to treat the effects of a stroke but not $1,000 per year
    for blood-thinning drugs that could have prevented the stroke in the
    first place.
        With this new prescription drug benefit, Medicare will now help pay
    for the prescription drugs that can prevent serious illness. Seniors
    will get more choices and better treatment, and America will get a
    Medicare system to fit the needs of the 21st century.
        The new coverage will begin on January 1st. If you or someone you
    love depends on Medicare, I urge you to learn about the new choices you
    have, so you can make a decision and enroll. Enrollment is entirely
    voluntary, and seniors who want to keep their Medicare coverage the way
    it is will be able to do so. But for those who want to take advantage of
    this new drug benefit, enrolling by May 15th will ensure you the lowest
    possible premiums. The sooner you enroll, the sooner you can have the
    peace of mind this coverage will bring.
        The new prescription drug coverage will benefit people on Medicare
    in three important ways. First, it will help all seniors and Americans
    with disabilities pay for prescription drugs, no matter how they pay for
    their medicine now. Seniors who have no drug coverage and have average
    prescription drug costs will see savings of at least 50 percent. And
    seniors who have the highest drug costs will receive special help.
    Starting in January, once a senior has spent $3,600 in a year, Medicare
    will cover 95 percent of all prescription costs.
        Second, this new coverage will offer more and better health care
    choices than ever before. That means seniors can save more and get the
    coverage they want, not a ``one size fits all'' plan that does not meet
    their needs. Every prescription drug plan will offer a broad choice of
    generic and brand-name drugs, and seniors will be able to select any
    Medicare prescription drug plan in their area that fits their needs and
    their medical history.
        Third, this new prescription drug coverage will provide extra help
    to low-income seniors and beneficiaries with disabilities. About a third
    of the seniors will be eligible for a Medicare prescription drug benefit
    that includes little or no premiums, low deductibles, and no gaps in
    coverage. On average, Medicare will pick up the tab for more than 95
    percent of the costs that low-income seniors pay for prescription drugs.
        The days of low-income seniors having to make painful sacrifices to
    pay for their prescription drugs are now coming to an end. Last month,
    those of you on Medicare received in the mail a handbook called
    ``Medicare and You'' that includes detailed information about your
    options. Citizen groups and faith-based organizations across America are
    also working to spread the word so that Medicare recipients can get
    their questions answered and make informed choices.
        If you have Medicare, I urge you to take advantage of this
    opportunity to learn more. Review your choices and make the decision
    that is right for you. If you have family or friends on Medicare, you
    can help too. Helping can be as simple as showing an older neighbor how
    to fill out a form or making a call for your mom or dad. You

    [[Page 1710]]

    can get information 24 hours a day by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or by
    visiting the official Medicare web site at medicare.gov.
        In the 21st century, preventing and treating illness often require
    prescription drugs. In the coming months, we will help every Medicare
    recipient make a confident choice about their prescription drug
    coverage. By expanding drug coverage for our Nation's seniors, we will
    help all Americans on Medicare receive the modern health care they
    deserve.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:52 a.m. on November 11 in the
    Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on November
    12. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on November 11 but was embargoed for release until the
    broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of this address.