Private drug card praised by Bush

WASHINGTON -- A private company's plan to help older Americans on Medicare get discounted medicines has won praise from the Bush administration, which is blocked from promoting similar cards itself.

The program is to be announced Wednesday by GlaxoSmithKline executives and Tommy Thompson, the Health and Human Services secretary, a company news release said.

Mary Rhyne, a spokesman for GlaxoSmithKline, said Tuesday the program is private and not a Bush administration program. It is aimed at helping low-income Medicare participants save money on prescription medicines produced by the British-based pharmaceutical company.

"Savings will be passed directly to participants at the time and place they buy their medicines," Rhyne said.

HHS spokesman Bill Pierce said the government is not endorsing the private program but supports efforts by private companies that help seniors buy expensive drugs. Thompson plans to be present at the launch after he testifies to Congress on bioterrorism.

GlaxoSmithKline's plan would help Medicare patients who don't have other public or private insurance coverage for prescription medicine, the company said. About a third of nearly 40 million people in the federal health insurance program usually pay full retail prices for medicine because they lack supplemental policies from retirement plans or other means.