Senators and representatives from Minnesota hit the nail on the head Monday: if Medicare is to include any significant prescription-drug benefit, it’s going to cost big money – money that is not there now.

Tuesday, August 07, 2001

Senators and representatives from Minnesota hit the nail on the head Monday: if Medicare is to include any significant prescription-drug benefit, it’s going to cost big money – money that is not there now.

It’s among the nagging problems Medicare faces. The program is also criticized for failing to adequately reimburse health-care providers for services provided and for punishing efficient states by reimbursing them less.

The federal government must find ways to better fund Medicare to allow for some kind of prescription benefit as well as to build up the amounts it pays to providers.

With an aging country, it must be a priority to find ways to ensure the long-term health of the population. If that means increasing funding to Medicare, we must be prepared for the idea of either cutting funds for other programs or absorbing tax increases to pay for it.