50th Annual scientific sessions of the American college of cardiology.

Abstract

Calling the US healthcare system “the best in the world,” President George W. Bush said that his proposed new budget funds many of the nation’s priorities, including health care. “We double funding for Medicare over the next 10 years and make sure that every dime that comes in for Medicare is spent only on Medicare,” the President told his audience at the 50th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in Orlando, Fla, on March 21, 2001. Bush said that reform of Medicare is important at a time “when prescription drugs are often the treatment of choice for heart disease and many other illnesses, 99% of employer-provided healthcare plans offer some form of prescription drug coverage, yet Medicare does not. Often, Medicare does not cover new treatments and innovative technologies. The Medicare bureaucracy is rigid and difficult and too often treats doctors as if you have nothing better to do than fill out forms.” He promised to bring new life and vitality to the program with the help of US Sen Bill Frist (R-Tennessee), US Sen John Breaux (D-Louisiana), and US Rep Bill Thomas (R-California). The President promised that every senior will have access to prescription drug coverage under his plan. He also said his budget will include tax credits to help make health insurance more affordable to working families and will increase funding for community and migrant health centers in order to double the number of people served at such centers in rural and low-income neighborhoods. He said he has asked Congress to increase medical research funding, including an additional $2.8 billion for the National Institutes of Health. President Bush promised …