EDITORIAL
Federal drug benefit must be simple, sane

In its well-intentioned effort to find a way of providing federal prescription drug benefits to the elderly, Congress is making a complicated mess out of something that should be fairly simple.

A Medicare drug bill now in House-Senate conference is riddled with complexities, compromises and cost-control measures that are bound to frustrate the beneficiaries.

There are literally dozens of optional plans proposed that will leave even the most savvy consumer wondering which path to take. And some of the simpler ideas seem to have been dropped by the wayside.

For instance, the bills would prohibit the government from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to buy basic drugs in huge amounts, thus lowering their costs. This is a saving strategy used by Canada, for instance.

This is a case where the best choice would be to begin small and simple. The federal government should develop a list of the most basic drug treatments and then insist that all plans cover those drugs.

It will still be expensive, yes. But politically, the choice has already been made that a drug benefit of some kind is going to come to this country's senior citizens.

If that is to be, then the best choice is to make the plan as as basic and as inexpensive as possible.