U.S. House approves debated Medicare bill

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a Medicare bill Saturday that supporters say will provide about 1.5 million Michigan residents with access to prescription-drug coverage.

The final roll call was 220-215 and the bill is now awaiting a U.S. Senate vote.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, voted for the bill, saying that within six months of President Bush signing the bill, all Michigan seniors could receive a discount care that could save them 10 to 25 percent on medication costs immediately.

By 2006, about 322,000 Medicare beneficiaries could receive coverage, he said.

"These reforms have been a long time coming, much too long for our seniors, but thankfully we now have begun to lay the foundation for better health care for seniors, and protecting the Medicare system for future generations," Rogers said. "There may be additional improvements to make, but this is a huge first step."

Nationwide, the bill would give 40 million seniors and disabled Americans prescription-drug benefits and provide an option for private health-care coverage.

The Michigan Democratic Party is critical of the plan, saying that seniors and disabled people are worse off with the passage of the bill.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the proposal would force 4 million people to lose their current employer-provided coverage, including about 183,000 Michigan residents that would lose their retirement benefits.

The proposal would favor the drug companies and HMOs instead of seniors and disabled people, Mark Brewer, executive chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, said before the vote.

State Democrats to use Internet voting

The Michigan Democratic Party will be allowed to use Internet voting in the Feb. 7 presidential caucus elections, the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee ruled Saturday.

Opponents of the bill, including MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson, say online voting discriminates against poor and minority voters who might not have a computer.

The committee voted 23-2 to allow the Internet voting.

The Michigan Democratic Party will be required to identify and publicize publicly accessible computers with Internet access in minority areas and ensure that Internet voting instructions are "user-friendly."

The party also will be responsible for setting up an assistance phone number available for users.