Bush Budget Raises Cost of Medicare (drug bill cost up 33% over

[papau]

prior estimate).

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=716&e=5&u=/ap/20040129/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_budgets

Bush Budget Raises Cost of Medicare

By ALAN FRAM, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - President Bush's new budget will project that the just-enacted prescription drug program and Medicare overhaul will cost one-third more than previously estimated and will predict a deficit exceeding $500 billion for this year, congressional aides said Thursday.

Instead of a $400 billion 10-year price tag, Bush's 2005 budget will estimate the Medicare bill's cost at about $540 billion, said aides who spoke on condition of anonymity. Bush will submit on Monday a federal budget for the fiscal year 2005, which starts next Oct. 1.


Bush just signed the Medicare measure into law last month. While it was moving through Congress, Bush, White House officials and congressional Republican leaders had assured doubting conservatives that the bill's costs would stay within the $400 billion estimate.


Some conservatives voted against the legislation anyway, and many of them are already angry that Bush has presided over excessive increases in spending and budget deficits. <snip>


"

[lovedems]

1. Just like they underestimated the cost of the war and the tax cuts

and the economic recovery. The numbers these idiots toss out are completely disingenuous. They lie to get what they want and once they have it, "what's the difference".

[papau]

2. I think the increase is the value of the give away to drug and Ins co.'s

The loss to treasury from medical savings accounts (which will not end up in the taxpayer's pocket but will go to insurance co's running the accounts as fees and profits and overhead) would fund the transition to universal health - or at least help :-)