Dr. Sterling was opposed to the bill's passage as it stood. He has resigned from AARP and joined the Alliance for Retired Americans due to AARP's unacceptable use of fear in their advertisements to scare seniors into supporting the bill, instead of assisting seniors to understand the real impact of the bill. Dr. Sterling applauds Washington State's U.S. Senators for their opposition to the 2003 Medicare prescription bill.

It appears that President Bush and Republican lawmakers hope voters will give them credit for adding prescription drug coverage to Medicare. The start of the program in 2006 has been replete with problems. Many recipients feel that the legislation was primarily political posturing and a gift to pharmaceutical companies, since many seniors are not benefiting from the drug coverage.

The law prohibits the government from negotiating with drugmakers, as other countries do, to obtain lower prices. It does not ease restrictions on buying low-cost drugs from Canada. Read more about the Medicare legislation using the links below.

Resources for Understanding the Program and Making Decisions.

• At Medicare.gov -- Medicare Prescription Drug and Other Assistance Programs.

• Seattle Times article posted April 29, 2004 -- Medicare discount cards: what seniors need to know. This article includes links to worksheets and other resources.

• Seattle Times article posted April 29, 2004 -- Medicare-approved drug discount cards available in Washington state.

• From KaiserNetwork.org, a health policy organization -- check the Medicare Drug Benefit Calculator.

• New York Times article posted March 13, 2006 -- Pharmacists Say Drug Plan Threatens Their Income.

• From KaiserNetwork.org, posted March 10, 2006 -- Editorials, Opinion Piece Discuss Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit.

• From KaiserNetwork.org, posted March 9, 2006 -- Nearly 13,000 Prescription Drug Packages Intercepted, Held By U.S. Customs Since November, Newly Released Data Show.

• From KaiserNetwork.org, a health policy organization -- check the Prescription Drugs Web page.

• Newsday.com article posted May 31, 2004 -- Schumer wants Web site for prescription drug price comparisons.

• CNN.com article posted May 31, 2004 -- Sponsors: Few seeking Medicare drug cards.

• At Boston.com, article posted May 31, 2004 -- Bush takes spotlight off Medicare drug benefit.

• The Oregonian, article posted May 31, 2004 -- Drug maze leads to frustration -- Savings are questionable, vexation is likely as seniors grapple with the Medicare prescription discount card.

• Seattle Times article posted May 26, 2004 -- Soaring prices cast doubts on Medicare discount cards' value.

• Seattle Times article posted May 1, 2004 -- Online pharmacies beat out some prices under Medicare.

• Institute for America's Future -- Emergency Campaign to Save Medicare.

• Alliance for Retired Americans -- Medicare Bills Do More Harm Than Good.

• The Medicare Rights Center Web Site.

• American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry Advocacy Web page.

• AARP's Medicare Prescription Drug Campaign Web Site.

• AARP's Legislation and Elections Web Site.

• Washington Citizen Action, Washington's largest grassroots public interest group. Their Web page has several links to Medicaid waiver reports and Medicaid issues.

• Seattle P-I article posted October 24, 2003 -- Poll: Elderly more pessimistic on Bush.

• Seattle P-I article posted October 24, 2003 -- Compromise eludes Medicare drug bill.

• Seattle P-I article posted October 22, 2003 -- Health care looms as election issue - Uninsured ranks rise, even in big companies.

The Urban Institute

Go to the Urban Institute's recent studies on Recent Changes in Health Policy In Washington State to get a good overview of what has gone on in Washington over the last few years and where it is headed with health policy.

Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

Medicaid plays a fundamental role in the provision of outpatient prescription drugs to low-income people, but all state Medicaid programs face the challenge of managing pharmacy expenditures in this difficult economic climate -- "States Respond to Fiscal Pressure: State Medicaid Spending Growth and Cost Containment."

Kaiser Family Foundation

"Medicare and Prescription Drugs" is the foundation's Web page for all information and news about Medicare prescription drug benefits.

Public Citizen

Health Care Reform & Rx Drugs Web page with links to reports such as "Medicare Privatization: The Case Against Relying on HMOs and Private Insurers to Offer Prescription Drug Coverage.

• From KaiserNetwork.org, a health policy organization -- Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

• From KaiserNetwork.org, a health policy organization -- Medicaid Web page.

• From KaiserNetwork.org, a health policy organization -- Medicaid and Managed Care.

• From KaiserNetwork.org, a health policy organization -- State Health Policy and Medicaid.

• From Washington State government Web site -- Medical Assistance Administration Web page.

• From Washington State government Web site -- Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).

• From Washington State government Web site -- Resources for Reporters Web Page at DSHS contains many important links to news and information at DSHS.

• Seattle P-I article posted May 27, 2004 -- Number of poor children without health insurance soars after state cuts.

• Seattle Times article posted May 17, 2004 -- Locke should delay increase in Medicaid premiums.

• Seattle Times article posted May 14, 2004 -- ER doctors lament rising uninsured load.

• Seattle Times article posted May 12, 2004 -- Medicaid law saves state less than was expected.

• Seattle P-I opinion posted May 11, 2004 -- Undo harm to Medicaid children.

• Seattle Times article posted May 8, 2004 -- When the well-to-do scheme to use Medicaid, they get what they pay for.

• Seattle P-I opinion posted March 7, 2004 -- Go away, kids, you're pushing our budget into the red.

- Best wishes, Ron Sterling M.D. (Seattle, Washington, USA)