The Washington Post should know better, much better
OK, so I understand that resume checking a right-wing blogger is a bit beyond the WaPo, but at least they don’t get flummoxed as much as the NY Times headline writers (or journalists) but falling for the Administration's line that 29 million Medicare recipients have signed up for Part D? Yup check that box:
The multibillion-dollar program, called Medicare Part D, subsidizes prescription drugs for the disabled and for people 65 and older. So far, 29 million Americans have enrolled, leaving at least 8 million -- and as many as 14 million by some estimates -- still eligible.
Sigh, how many times must Kate explain that the real number is closer to 8 million? And then using a poll of people who when faced with a choice, decided to take on option on offer, and then asking them whether they like that option? Yup check that too:
Millions of senior citizens have not signed up for and do not know much about Medicare's new prescription drug benefit, but among those who have enrolled, three-quarters said the paperwork was easy to complete and nearly two-thirds said the program saved them money, the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll shows.
How about doing a frigging poll of the people who didn’t sign up instead and reporting their issues? What’s up WaPo/ABC, scared that AHIP will cut back on its advertising, intimidated by Newt Gingrich’s glowering intellect, unable to find TMPCafe using Google? Or perhaps they’re just dumb. Like I said earlier on TMPCafe, it’s like GM polling people who bought a Chevy and not caring about people who bought a Toyota instead. (Hey, given GM’s recent success, perhaps that is how they do their market research!)
So why didn’t the rest sign up, and why of the 29 million “Part D” recipients are the vast majority those who already had private coverage and decided not to switch to the Medicare plan? And why have only 8 million of the 23 million eligible to voluntarily enroll done so? Perhaps the WaPo should shifty over to Managed Care Matters where Joe Paduda explains.
I have to agree that this is a pathetic piece of market research, however you cut it. This is the MBA Administration?
But even looking at the numbers they're trumpeting, we're spending billions of additional dollars on this program annually and only 2/3 of people who signed up are coming out ahead? What kind of ROI is that? Furthermore, I find myself wondering how far that stat will fall once they get everyone enrolled--healthy folks or people who use a lot of generic meds are going to lose out big on this "voluntary but we'll hit you with a massive penalty tomorrow if you don't take it right now" plan.
Seriously, with the kind of money this administration is spending, we have every right to demand that everyone come out ahead...and possibly get a pony as well. For this much buck we all should be demanding unprecedented bang.
April 12, 2006 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
This morning (in contrast to the WaPo), NPR news seemed to get it just right. I'm quoting from memory here, but their piece on Bush's latest travels to tout the plan said something like: "The Adminstration emphasizes that 29 million people have already signed up for the plan; however, nearly 2/3 of these were people who already had prescription drug coverage." The reporter didn't actually make the key closing point "...already had prescription drug coverage and were therefore automatically transferred to Medicare D", but at least they framed the "29 million" number as something that didn't mean as much as it sounded like.
April 12, 2006 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Signed up" for the people who already had coverage and were unceremoniously dumped into Part D is a little like saying that a draftee "signed up" to go to Vietnam. Sure, there's a signature on a piece of paper somewhere.
April 13, 2006 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink