May 20, 2004---Government Funded Ads Promoting Medicare Drug Cards Deemed Illegal

The investigative arm of Congress, the General Accounting Office or "GAO" , announced on Wednesday that the Bush administration violated established federal law concerning the use of federal funds for producing and distributing propaganda disguised as television commercials. The commercial segments were designed to simulate and be perceived as real news segments that portray the new Medicare law as a "boon" to older Americans. The government is encouraging the use of new drug discount cards for the next 18 months and in 2006, Medicare will provide insurance coverage for certain outpatient drug costs. Many critics have termed the program as a financial boon to private pharmacy benefit managers.