Many seniors worried about the high costs of prescription medicines will likely stay worried with George W. Bush in the White House.

        During the campaign, Mr. Bush promised less extensive Medicare drug benefits than his rival, Al Gore. Add Mr. Bush's razor-thin election victory to a closely split Congress, and the result could be four years of minimal action on an apparently popular health reform.

        “I suspect there will be a feeling-out period after he takes office. With the way Congress looks, it's kind of hard to say whether there will be major changes,” said Dave Scharfenberger, administrator of the Working In Neighborhoods Senior Action Coalition.

        Medicare, the federal health plan for seniors and the disabled, spends more than $217 billion a year on care for more than 39 million people, but does not cover prescription drugs. Seniors either pay for pills out-of-pocket, or get drug coverage through retiree benefits or by purchasing Medicare-supplemental plans. Some poor seniors get help through state Medicaid programs.

        Both candidates made drug coverage a big campaign issue.

        Before the election, Mr. Bush called for a subsidized program for the poorest seniors, while others would get the option of buying coverage from private insurers.

        Mr. Bush estimated his plan would cost $159 billion, while Mr. Gore's more extensive package would have cost $253 billion.

        Given years of slow action on other health-reform proposals, such as a patient bill of rights or expanded coverage of the un- insured, few expect radical change from a Bush administration or from Congress. But small reforms may be possible, given that Mr. Bush pledged during debates to seek ways to bring Republicans and Democrats together.

        “I wouldn't rule out all health-care reform activity. (A prescription drug program) is the kind of thing that both sides would like to take credit for,” said Lynn Olman, president of the Greater Cincinnati Health Council.

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Local voters just glad it's over
Lawmakers talk conciliation
Ohio could reap the spoils
Tristate Republicans could win appointments
Kentuckians see friend in Bush
Tristate scholars consider lessons, impact of election
Impact on Abortion
Impact on Education
Impact on Environment/energy
Impact on Health Care
Impact on Social Security
Bush electors in the Tristate