Medicare Trustees Report Shows Unprecedented Progress Under the Clinton-Gore Administration March 30, 2000


THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release March 30, 2000



MEDICARE TRUSTEES’ REPORT SHOWS UNPRECEDENTED PROGRESS UNDER THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION BUT MAJOR CHALLENGES REMAIN
March 30, 2000

Today, the Medicare Trustees projected that the life of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended until 2023 -- 8 years longer than had been projected last year. This is a historic change from 1993 when the President came into office and received the Trustees report projecting that Medicare would become insolvent in 1999. In welcoming this news, the President highlighted the Administration’s stewardship of Medicare which has resulted in the longest Medicare Trust Fund solvency in a quarter century and premiums that are nearly 20 percent lower today than projected in 1993. He pointed out, however, that Medicare still faces daunting demographic and health challenges. It is projected to become insolvent in the middle of the retirement of the baby boom generation. And, unlike virtually every private health plan, Medicare still does not cover outpatient prescription drugs. The President also emphasized his comprehensive plan to make Medicare more competitive and efficient; modernize its benefits including adding a voluntary prescription drug benefit; and dedicating part of the on-budget surplus to meeting the future financial shortfall. Based on preliminary analysis, these policies are projected to extend the life of Medicare beyond 2030. The President’s Medicare plan is part of his fiscally disciplined framework to strengthen Social Security, invest in key priorities, and pay off the debt held by the public by 2013.

MEDICARE IS MUCH STRONGER BUT FACES UNPRECEDENTED DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES

PRESIDENT’S PLAN TO STRENGTHEN AND MODERNIZE MEDICARE. The President’s FY2001 budget dedicates $432 billion over 10 years -- over half of the on-budget surplus -- to strengthen and modernize Medicare to prepare it for the health, demographic, and financing challenges of the 21st Century, extending its solvency to at least 2030. This plan would:

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Women's History Month 2000

The Minimum Wage: Increasing the Reward for Work

New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

Meeting with Religious Leaders

Women's History Month

New Public Private Initiative to reduce Weather Related Air Travel Delays

Gun Violence

Agreement with Smith & Wesson

Restoring

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

American Red Cross Month

Prescription Drug Plan

U.S. – China WTO Accession Deal

Common Sense Gun Laws

Irish-American Heritage Month

Civilian Research and Development

Patient's Bill of Rights

Joint Statement by President Clinton and Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK

Vaccines to Developing Countires

Human Genome Project

Information Age

Semi-Finalists for 2000-2001 White House Fellowships

President Clinton Urges Congress to Pass Budget

Congressional Budget Resolution

Save your Vision Week

St. Patrick's Day, 2000

Clinton/Gore actions to Enhance America's Energy Security

Social Security Trustees Report - March 30, 2000

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Report Shows Unprecedented Progress

Proclamation: Cancer Control Month, 2000

National Poison Prevention Week

Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., 2000

Greek Independence Day

Proclamation: National Child Abuse Prevention Month, 2000

Statement by the President on NPT

Common Sense Gun Legislation

Raising the Minimum Wage

U.S. --China WTO Accession Deal

U.S.- China WTO Agreement

Enforcement of The U.S. - China WTO Accession Deal


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