[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 48 (Monday, December 1, 2003)]
[Pages 1679-1680]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

November 22, 2003

    Good morning. This week Congress made significant progress toward 
improving the lives of America's senior citizens. The House of 
Representatives passed legislation that would bring prescription drug 
coverage to Medicare and lead to health care choices for our seniors. 
This legislation, if also passed by the Senate, would represent the 
greatest improvement in senior health care since Medicare was enacted in 
1965.
    When these reforms take full effect, our seniors would see real 
savings in their health care costs. Within 6 months, seniors would be 
eligible for a drug discount card that would save them between 10 and 25 
percent off the retail price of most drugs. When the full drug benefit 
arrives in 2006, all seniors become eligible for drug coverage for a 
monthly premium of about $35. For most seniors without coverage today, 
the Medicare drug plan would cut their annual drug bills roughly in 
half.
    Seniors with the highest drug bills would save the most, and seniors 
with the greatest need would get the most help. Low-income seniors would 
pay a reduced premium or no premium at all for the new drug coverage. 
And low-income seniors would also have lower copayments for their 
medicines.
    Here is an example of how this benefit would work. A senior taking 
drugs to treat arthritis, high cholesterol, and migraines has a typical 
drug bill of about $250 a month, or $3,000 a year. With this 
legislation, this retiree would save $1,680 after paying her insurance 
premiums--more than half her current drug costs.
    Under the new reforms, seniors would have more choices of health 
care coverage. Should seniors want to stay in traditional Medicare and 
receive a prescription drug benefit, they would be able to do so. Some 
seniors may want expanded coverage for extended hospital stays or 
protection against high out-of-pocket medical expenses, or they may want 
the coverage that comes with managed care plans. Under the new law, all 
those choices would be available. With choice, seniors would have more 
control over their health care options, and health plans would compete 
for the business with better coverage.
    We're on the verge of success because of bipartisan leadership and 
because of the support of many advocates for seniors, including the 
AARP. Throughout many months of discussion and debate, we've remained 
focused on the clear objective: to modernize and strengthen the Medicare 
system. And by working together, we're close to meeting that goal.
    In the nearly 40 years since Medicare was launched, this is the most 
significant opportunity for any Congress to improve health coverage for 
our seniors. Now we're down to the final stages. This Congress will 
decide whether or not seniors will have prescription drug coverage under 
Medicare, and this Congress will decide whether America's seniors will 
have better health care choices.
    I urge all Members of Congress to remember what is at stake and to 
remember the promise we have made to America's seniors. The quality of 
their health care and the future strength of Medicare depends on the 
passage of this much-needed legislation.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 4:35 p.m. on November 21 for broadcast 
at 10:06 a.m. on November 22. The transcript was made available by the 
Office of the Press Secretary on November

[[Page 1680]]

21 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office of the 
Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this 
address.