solution is found.One of the problems of Medicare itself is that it doesn't cover the costs of prescription drugs for its members; this has led to one of the major reasons that the program is in danger. A great deal of personal healthcare relies on the use of drugs, and since the program doesn't cover these costs, the individual must bear them. According to the AARP, in 1999 out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs were estimated to be $450 per person each year (AARP). Obviously, members have joined the program to defray their medical costs, but these figures indicate that they still have large costs to pay. The other problem faced by the Medicare program is that it is also suffering from a lack of funds. According to Governor George W. Bush, the financial health of Medicare is in serious jeopardy and might face deficit as soon as 2010 (Bush). As a result of these major problems, one might wonder why the plan isn't scrapped for another program; well according to polls done by the Public Agenda, an Internet public policy site, American citizens are strongly in favor of Medicare, and would rather see the problems ironed out (Public Agenda). Therefore it is necessary to come up with a solution, so that the Medicare program remains intact.The most favorable solution for these problems is for the national government to alleviate the out-of-pocket costs (such as the costs for drugs) of the beneficiaries by funding the Medicare program through the use of the national budget surplus. As of now, funding for Medicare has been provided through payroll taxes and social security taxes paid by enrolled members and their employers, and also through general revenues provided by the government. In fact, statistics provided by the United States Senate and Senator William Frist (R-Tenn.) indicate that Medicare members fund 25% (about $45/month), and the government covers the other 75% of Medicare costs (Frist). However, using revenue from the ...
