January 6, 2003

The Bush administration will propose a major overhaul of Medicare later this month. University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) political scientist Christopher Stream, Ph.D., a health policy expert, is available to discuss the Bush proposal and how Republicans and Democrats will respond.

Stream is an expert on health policy, public policy and public opinion. He has taught courses on state health policies as well as governmental budgeting. His articles have been published in State and Local Government Review, Public Administration Review and the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. Stream is an assistant professor in the UAB Department of Government and Public Service.

Bush's plan will focus on prescription drugs and cost reduction, Stream said. Democrats, however, will likely propose plans that focus more on increasing reimbursement rates.

"There have been a lot of proposals put forth over the years, so there is going to be compromise," Stream said. "The question is whether Sen. Bill Frist will be able to get conservatives to go along with Bush's more moderate plan. ... Bush will have to walk a fine line. He came into the White House with the message of compassionate conservatism, and that has resonated well with the American public. But so far, he hasn't been able to translate that message into actual policies. Providing a Medicare prescription drug plan for seniors will give him the chance to do that."

Stream says the debate over Medicare could be heavily influenced by whether or not the United States goes to war with Iraq, the economy, or the candidates the Democrats put forth to run for president. "The fight over Medicare reform could be a bloody battle, but Bush must have legislative success going into an election year."