As part of his final budget proposal, released Monday, President
Bush  revealed his plan to begin means-testing for the Medicare
Part D  prescription  drug  benefit.  The change  would  be  very
similar  to  the  means-testing  implemented  for  Part B  by  the
Medicare Modernization Act of 2003  (MMA),  which determines
beneficiaries'  premium  levels  based on  their  previous  year's
income. Health care advocates argue that making these programs
more  expensive  for  wealthier  beneficiaries,  who  tend  to be
younger  and  in  better  health,  undercuts  their social insurance
nature.  They expect many higher-income recipients to ultimately
opt  out.  In  turn, costs  will  rise  for  the  millions of middle and
lower-income  seniors  who  rely  on  the  affordable  coverage
Medicare  provides.    Additionally,  if  income  thresholds  for
increased  premiums  are  not  scheduled  to  rise with inflation,
means-testing  could  apply  to  middle-income seniors over time.
"This  is  another  attempt  by  this  Administration  to  privatize
Medicare,"  said  Edward  Coyle,   Executive  Director  of the
Alliance for Retired Americans. "Means-testing Part D is the next

step down a slippery slope that undermines our social insurance