“Amid the shrill cries that the sky is falling on senior citizens comes news on how Medicare beneficiaries view their new prescription drug benefit. According to two recent surveys, conducted on behalf of America’s Health Insurance Plans, of more than 800 randomly selected seniors enrolled in the Medicare drug benefit, 84 percent who signed up voluntarily experienced no problems enrolling; two-thirds say the benefits are worth the time and effort to evaluate their options and plans; 59 percent of self-enrolled seniors say they are saving money; and 90 percent of beneficiaries who were automatically enrolled, most of whom are poor, have had few problems getting their prescriptions. The new Medicare prescription drug benefit is delivering on its promise of more choices at lower cost. But instead of championing the program’s success, critics are desperate to find problems with what House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi describes as ‘this disastrous Republican Medicare prescription drug plan.’” (03/30/06)