But it entitles seniors not to all the drugs they can consume at taxpayer expense, but to participation in a private, voluntary program. That's a step away from the entitlement programs of the past. Insurance companies have criticized the GOP approach, with many saying that the plan won't work because routine drug expenses are simply not insurable events. They argue, as do most people who have studied the teetering Medicare program, that drug coverage must be incorporated into overall reform. Most private health insurance plans already have prescription drug coverage as an integral part of their benefit packages.
Seniors deserve no less.
Republicans and Democrats on the Bipartisan Medicare Commission agreed last year that this is the right approach. House Republicans offer a first step through the prescription drug plan they have crafted. Seniors shouldn't count on action this year. There's too little time in the congressional calendar to complete work on a final drug benefit bill, and Mr. Clinton has vowed to veto the Republican version. Research threatened If those who push for government control win, it will inevitably lead to price controls.