WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Hurricane Katrina has revitalized opponents of the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan for millions of disabled and elderly U.S. residents, a report said.
Katrina has left the federal government with billions of unanticipated expenses while the voluntary Medicare program's costs have ballooned to an estimated $795 billion, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported.
"It's revitalized the movement," Mike Tanner, a Medicare expert at the libertarian Cato Institute, told the newspaper. "There really is a revolt growing."
Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., has introduced a bill to postpone the program -- set to begin Jan. 1, 2006 -- for a year and has called for a two-year delay.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is expected to introduce a similar bill soon.
Even so, House and Senate leaders refused to revisit the voluntary Medicare drug benefit.
While a delay appears unlikely this year, some hope the discontent will spur changes next year to give consumers more benefits and lower prices, the newspaper reported.
