[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 11 (Monday, March 20, 2006)]
[Pages 471-472]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Visit to Ferris Hills at West Lake Senior Center in 
Canandaigua

March 14, 2006

    The reason I have come is, I'm trying to explain to people the 
benefits of a new Medicare program. Congressman Randy Kuhl asked me to 
come, and so I did. It shows how influential he is.
    I thought the system needed to be changed because it didn't provide 
a modern form of medicine. A lot of it was good, but some of it was 
stuck in the past. And so I worked with Congress to get a prescription 
drug benefit added on to Medicare. The problem is, is that when 
something changes, people get a little concerned; you know, they say, 
``Well, I'm not so sure I want to see a change; I'm not so sure change 
is something that I'm interested in.'' And I knew that was going to be 
the case.
    But I also knew that if we could convince people who pay attention 
to take a look and see what options were available, that people would 
begin to make rational choices, particularly if they had some help. And 
so I want to thank the Thompson Health Care Group for helping. And as I 
said at the high school

[[Page 472]]

over there, I said, ``If your mom or dad could use a little Medicare, 
you owe them the opportunity to explain different options and show 
what's available.'' But the pharmacists are helping a lot to say, 
``Look, you ought to take a look at the program.''
    So we're in your community to urge people to, you know, kind of step 
back, see what's available, design a program that meets your needs, if 
that's your interest, and it's going to save some money. That's the key, 
because this--the benefit is costing less than anticipated, as a result 
of competition and choice. It's really worthwhile looking at.
    I've spent a lot of time, as my administration spends a lot of time, 
talking about how to get people--information into people's hands. And so 
that's why we're here. Thank you for giving us a chance to come by and 
visit with you. It looks like you've got a beautiful facility.
    Okay, well, thanks to the press for coming.

Note: The President spoke at 1:09 p.m.