Nov 10 Watch Senators-elect Plan for Upcoming Congressional Session Ten new faces will join the Senate in January -- eight Democrats, one Republican and one independent. Democrat Ben Cardin of Maryland and Republican Bob Corker of Tennessee discuss what they intend to bring to Congress. Continue watching
Jun 19 High Court Returns Wetlands Cases to Lower Court, Agrees to Hear Abortion Appeal By Admin, PBS News Hour The Supreme Court on Monday narrowly voided a lower court's decision blocking two developments on wetlands in Michigan, and agreed to consider a second appeal to reinstate a federal ban on so-called partial-birth abortions. Continue reading
May 15 Watch Seniors Rush to Sign Up for Medicare’s Drug Benefit Before Deadline The Bush administration made one last push Monday to persuade seniors to sign up for Medicare's drug benefit before a financial penalty kicks in. Two experts discuss the deadline and what it means for seniors and others struggling to pay… Continue watching
May 08 Watch Deadline for Prescription Drug Enrollment Plan Approaches The clock is ticking for Medicare beneficiaries wishing to enroll in a prescription drug coverage plan by the May 15 registration deadline. Susan Dentzer of the NewsHour's Health Unit reports on the prescription drug coverage countdown. Continue watching
May 04 Seniors Can Now Sign Up for Medicare Drug Discount Cards Many seniors seeking help with rising drug costs can now register for a Medicare discount prescription drug card, but the vast array of some 73 different cards has some worried the program may be too complex for those it is… Continue reading
Mar 17 White House Backs Probe Into Medicare Cost Dispute The White House Wednesday endorsed Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson's call for a probe into whether Medicare's chief actuary was pressured to suppress his cost estimates of the 2003 Medicare bill. Continue reading
Mar 12 Senate Approves McClellan As New Medicare Chief The Senate approved FDA chief Mark McClellan's nomination to head Medicare on Friday, after the vote was delayed over concerns about his opposition to legalizing the importation of prescription drugs. Continue reading
Jan 30 Cost of Medicare Changes Climbs From $400 Billion to $530 Billion The Bush administration announced Thursday that the new Medicare changes passed by Congress two months ago would cost at least $530 billion over ten years -- one-third more than the original Congressional Budget Office estimate. Continue reading
Dec 08 Medicare Prescription Drug Bill Signed Into Law President Bush on Monday signed a $400 billion, 10-year Medicare bill that will enact sweeping changes to the entitlement program by adding a prescription drug benefit and increasing the roll of private companies. Continue reading
Oct 15 Lawmakers Likely to Miss Oct. 17 Medicare Drug Bill Deadline Key lawmakers working on Medicare prescription drug legislation conceded late Tuesday they will miss an Oct. 17 target date for a final House-Senate compromise as they continue to hash out the details of the plan. Continue reading