House Democrats have reacted to the Bush administration's announcement of a Medicare reform plan by introducing a comprehensive drug benefit that mirrors their initiative from last year.
High-ranking House Democrats unveiled the legislation today (March 4). It includes a $25 premium, a $100 annual deductible, 20 percent copay and catastrophic coverage of costs exceeding $2,000, all features of last year's bill. At the time, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scored the 2002 legislation at nearly $1 trillion over ten years. However, this year's version has not been scored.