FRANK SESNO, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with the prescription drugs, the money drain on many seniors, and a presidential push today to bring Medicare to their assistance. The picture: millions of older Americans shelling out increasing amounts of money in a system, the president says, that makes no sense. Behind his argument, a new study by Families USA, a group that advocates universal health care for all Americans. The study shows prescription drug prices jumped 5.8 percent in 1999. Drugs commonly used by seniors rose 3.9 percent. Both categories are raising -- rising, rather, much faster than last year's 2.7 percent rate of inflation. So, CNN senior White House correspondent John King joins us now with more on the president's plan and the potential politics behind it -- John.</s>JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Frank, this has been a top priority of the president for more than a year now, but he used this new study today to hold an event here at the White House. In the president's view, the federal government should spend nearly $200 billion over the next 10 years to give a prescription drug benefit to each of the nearly 40 million Americans in the Medicare program.</s>WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Seniors living on fixed incomes simply can't cope with these kinds of price increases forever. That's why we should take action to help them, and do it now. In my budget, I propose a comprehensive plan to provide a prescription drug benefit that is optional, affordable and accessible for all -- a plan based on price competition, not price controls.</s>KING: Now, given the number of elderly Americans in the Medicare program, this obviously a big policy debate. This picture also shows it's a big political debate. On hand with the president today, the Democratic leaders of the House and the Senate. The Democrats believe this is an issue that plays very well for them in this election year. Republicans counter that the president's approach represents big government. They prefer a much more modest $40 billion plan that would give government help and prescription drugs to the low-income elderly Americans. The Republicans believe insurance companies and HMOs should deal with the rest. John King, CNN, reporting live from the White House.
President Clinton Pushes Prescription Drug Plan for Medicare