So, how are things going with Medicare’s Part D coverage, which is designed to help the poorest of the poor receive needed prescription drugs?
It depends on when you ask. Two recent Washington Post articles agreed with the program’s munificence but varied on its management success.
Ceci Connolly’s front-page article on February 21st painted a picture of a putrid and profligate promotion campaign of $400 million, which has produced little tangible results. Only about 17 & ˝ percent (1.4 out of 8 million) of the Part D target population had enrolled to bask in beautiful benefits. Ceci’s article seemed to portray hapless or even wasteful activities that were implemented to reach these key beneficiaries.
Michael Fletcher’s Ides of March article (page A4, 3/15/06) provides positive presidential pronouncements relating to the program’s progress. His article paralleled Ceci’s in noting that only a small fraction of eligibles had signed up. Michael said that Mark McClellan, Medicare’s chief, did not quantify the latest fraction, as was done in Ceci’s article; however, the status would appear to be relatively quo.
Here’s an area ripe for more journalistic attention and analysis. Medicare benefits 42 million Americans, and Part D prescription coverage is designed in part to provide some 8 million folks with medicine at bargain basement prices. What a deal!, but what a challenge to reach and enroll this large group of needy citizens.
For my money, Ceci’s article chronicles mismanagement and describes dismal circumstances, whereas Michael’s, a mere three weeks later, presents a more upbeat prognosis for a medically marvelous and fiscally fabulous program in its infancy. All that’s needed are a few more million participants for it to be absolutely, positively peachy keen.
Granted, both articles could be correct, and probably are, yet it would be wonderful for an aspiring newsroom underling to grab this story by the horns and run it to ground.
For example, Mr. McClellan is now quoted that “…We found problems, and we fixed them.” Perhaps. That would be great; however, when one is dealing with millions of anything, people in this case, it’s hard to imagine our federal bureaucracy being so nimble as to transform the landscape in a mere 22 days. It even takes a high-production operation like McDonald’s a while to sell millions of burgers and fries.
And then there is politics. Michael’s article includes a quote from Senator Ted Kennedy stating that administration efforts are almost as effective and advanced as 8-track cassette players. Well, maybe the Senator didn’t say exactly that. In any case, I don’t think he likes President Bush and his minions very much.
Any budding journalist biting into this mess will get a mouthful. Political posturing will be rampant, as Democrats clearly don’t relish a Republican administration delivering delectable tidbits to their tradition constituency.
This is what I believe the Understanding Government Foundation is all about: enable journalists to tell the polity how its government really works, and to do it in an apolitical, nonpartisan, and critical fashion.
I’m laying down the gauntlet. Will you pick it up?
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YETMO: “You’re Entitled To My Opinion,” A Balanced Point of View
Fred W. Apelquist, III, M. Ed.
Approximately 500 words.
© March 15, 2006