The media says what I wrote about last year....Medicare head silenced.

I had a letter published last year which brings out the Scully deal. So NOW the media deals with it?? They act like it is a new thing? This is so out of control. I am not tooting my own horn, but come on! I posted my letter below the article. This makes me sick.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/8164060.htm
SNIP....."WASHINGTON - The government's top expert on Medicare costs was warned that he would be fired if he told key lawmakers about a series of Bush administration cost estimates that could have torpedoed congressional passage of the White House-backed Medicare prescription-drug plan...."

Published last October (my letter to the editor)
"Add Medicare Drug Benefit, But Don't Privatize

"Earlier this year, Medicare chief Thomas Scully threatened to fire his actuary if he released facts about how many millions of seniors would be affected by bringing managed care into the Medicare system as a method of giving drug benefits. He said this about those who were trying to get information to verify facts as to how high costs would rise:

"They don't have the right on the Hill to call up my actuary and demand things," said Scully, chief of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Scully said he would release the analysis "if I feel like it." Quote is from an Associated Press article June 25 by Laura Meckler.

Why can't we know these numbers? Why are they a secret?

It sounds like those who already have coverage in addition to Medicare will be dropped by their carriers and forced into managed care. It does not have to be that way. Talk to your congressional representatives, ask them what is really going on. Tell them to fix the problem, not just use drug coverage as an excuse to privatize.

In a letter from Rep. Adam Putnam he makes this statement: "I will not hesitate to oppose the conference report if it fails to `emphasize' the `private sector' or does not have an effective cost containment mechanism." I do not agree with this. Mr. Putnam needs to answer to senior citizens.

The administration agreed to stop using the term "privatize" because of negative connotations. It does not mean it has stopped doing it.

According to Mr. Scully, we really have no right to know what they are doing. Mr. Scully, we are providing free medical care to the Iraqis. Do you think we might manage some care and respect for our own seniors?...."Used whole letter with my permission.

We have a sorry sorry media in this country.

I am proud because I beat out major media on this. The paper called and asked me to verify the info...they did not believe me at first. That is very important....they did not even know about it. We knew it here at DU, the paper did not know it.