TRICKY REPUBLICAN DEVILS (via mc):

Insurers Plan Broader Medicare Coverage (ROBERT PEAR, February 4, 2004, NY Times)

Health insurance companies, which receive a large increase in federal payments under the new Medicare law, said Tuesday that they would use the extra money to increase benefits and reduce premiums and co-payments for the elderly.

In addition, some health plans said they would return to markets they left in the past few years, as Medicare payments fell short of their rising costs.

"Congressional action is getting results," said Karen M. Ignagni, president of the American Association of Health Plans, which merged recently with the Health Insurance Association of America. "Millions of beneficiaries will receive better benefits, lower premiums and expanded choices in 2004 as a result of the Medicare legislation."

The changes suggest that the new law may halt or reverse trends of the past five years. From 1999 to 2003, health plans dropped more than 2.4 million Medicare beneficiaries. Many plans reduced benefits and increased premiums.

It's a dirty political ploy, improving peoples' lives just to get their votes.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 4, 2004 10:08 PM