Medicare Drug Deadline, Lifetime Penalties

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If you qualify for the Medicare drug program and don't sign up by today, you'll have to pay lifetime penalties if you want coverage later. President Bush says deadlines provide "finality," but others insist this deadline should be extended because not enough people know about it and because of continued confusion among the seniors and disabled people the plan is supposed to help. Is "Part D" reaching the people who need it most? Is it a windfall for drug and insurance companies? We hear conflicting answers to those and other questions, from journalists, Medicare administrators, private healthcare advocates and Medicare beneficiaries.Making News: Bush Plans to Use National Guard Troops at the BorderPresident Bush wants some 10,000 National Guard troops deployed on the Mexican border with Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. The White House says he'll make the case in a live appearance tonight on prime-time TV. The Los Angeles Times' Peter Wallsten says that this portion of the President's "immigration reform" plan may reassure some segments in the US, it's raised grave concerns for President Vicente Fox of Mexico.Reporter's Notebook: US to Renew Diplomatic Relations with LibyaRonald Reagan ordered air attacks against Libya in 1981 and '86. He called head-of-state Moammar Gadhafi a "mad dog." Agents of the self-proclaimed "revolutionary leader" were responsible for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Now, America's former enemy has become its friend. Michael Hirsh of Newsweek magazine has more on what Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calls "the opening of a new era."
If you qualify for the Medicare drug program and don't sign up by today, you'll have to pay lifetime penalties if you want coverage later. President Bush says deadlines provide "finality," but others insist this deadline should be extended because not enough people know about it and because of continued confusion among the seniors and disabled people the plan is supposed to help. Is "Part D" reaching the people who need it most? Is it a windfall for drug and insurance companies? We hear conflicting answers to those and other questions, from journalists, Medicare administrators, private healthcare advocates and Medicare beneficiaries.
  • Making News: Bush Plans to Use National Guard Troops at the Border
    President Bush wants some 10,000 National Guard troops deployed on the Mexican border with Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. The White House says he'll make the case in a live appearance tonight on prime-time TV. The Los Angeles Times' Peter Wallsten says that this portion of the President's "immigration reform" plan may reassure some segments in the US, it's raised grave concerns for President Vicente Fox of Mexico.
  • Reporter's Notebook: US to Renew Diplomatic Relations with Libya
    Ronald Reagan ordered air attacks against Libya in 1981 and '86. He called head-of-state Moammar Gadhafi a "mad dog." Agents of the self-proclaimed "revolutionary leader" were responsible for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Now, America's former enemy has become its friend. Michael Hirsh of Newsweek magazine has more on what Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calls "the opening of a new era."

President Bush on securing the US-Mexico border

President Bush to speak on immigration reform

Mexican President Vicente Fox on Bush plan for border

LA Times article on President Bush's allaying Mexico's fears over his plans for the border

Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (800-MEDICARE)

Kaiser Family Foundation's Medicare Policy Project

Families USA on Medicare

US restores diplomatic relations with Libya

NBC on renewal of US-Libyan diplomatic ties

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