President George W. Bush’s proposals on Medicare, health care, and prescription drug coverage in his State of the Union address have been generally received negatively by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

Pols in both parties interpreted the president’s remarks to mean only Medicare members who join a health maintenance organization (HMO) would get prescription drug coverage. Members who choose to remain in traditional Medicare would not get prescription drug coverage, they said.

Others interpreted the president’s remarks to mean he aims to privatize the nation’s healthcare program. Advocates for the elderly said this would be disastrous since there was ample evidence that so-called Medicare HMOs had shown clearly that they weren’t able to provide effective healthcare at the price they were being paid by the federal government.

In the face of the harsh reception of the president’s remarks on healthcare in his address Monday evening, administration officials told reporters they would reconsider some features of the president’s proposal.

But actually it wasn’t a full fledged proposal, but some general remarks. The president was supposed to expand on what he had said in the previous nights, speech, but he devoted only three minutes to the subject in a 42-minute address in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In the State of the Union address, the president cited the high cost of medical care for Americans, which prevents many from being in any plan at all. But, the president added, "These problems will not be solved with a nationalized health care system that dictates coverage and rations care."

We interpret this to mean he is not satisfied with the way Medicare, our nationalized health care system for 40 million seniors over 65 and disabled people.

Continuing in his speech, the president said, "Instead we must work toward a system in which all Americans have a good insurance policy, choose their own doctors and seniors and low-income Americans receive the help they need." However, he did not state that "the help they need" would necessarily include prescription drug coverage.

Shortly after he said, "Seniors happy with the current Medicare system" should be able to keep their coverage "just the way it is," which means no prescription drug benefits. But, he continued, "All seniors should have the choice of a health care plan that provides prescription drugs."

This quote was generally interpreted by some Republicans and Democrats and the media to mean the president would give the prescription drug benefit to those who opt for HMOs, but not to those who remain under Medicare coverage.

Among Republicans opposing the president’s apparent position were Senators Charles Grassley of Iowa and Olympia Snowe of Maine. Grassley is chairman of the Finance Committee, of which Snowe is a member.

Grassley stated, "Prescription drug coverage should be available to all seniors, not just those who switch into managed care."

Snowe commented: "I am concerned that the president’s focus on ways to reform Medicare could hamper our efforts to pass comprehensive prescription coverage."

These statements express the same sentiments and positions that mostly all Democrats, both in the Senate and House, have held. This indicates there could be bipartisan support to defeat the president’s proposal and enact universal Medicare prescription coverage.

This was also the case before last fall’s elections, but that bipartisan coalition was effectively blocked because both sides were involved in getting their party members elected. As it turned out, the voters indicated they believed what Republicans were saying on health care and some other key issues, because they elected enough Republicans to give the GOP control of the House and Senate.

One other point: more than 85 percent of Medicare members are in traditional Medicare and have resisted past opportunities to join HMOs, indicating they don’t trust private HMOs to give them effective coverage.

The question for the future is: will Bush bend? If not, will there be enough bipartisan opposition to pass a bill giving all Medicare members prescription drug coverage under Medicare? Stay tuned.

MEETING: The Rev. Austin Armitstead, retired pastor of the United Community Methodist Church in Jackson Heights, will be the featured speaker at the AARP Jackson Heights Chapter No. 991 on Wednesday, February 19 at 1 p.m. at the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights, 37-06 77th St., Jackson Heights.

Armitstead does the Roving Photographer column and serves as community liaison for the Gazette, and is active in many other community activities.