a:3:{s:16:"field_story_body";a:1:{i:0;a:2:{s:5:"value";s:1345:"In January, the Obama administration proposed a series of changes to the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit that would no longer require insurers to offer coverage for certain types of drugs and would also limit the choice of Part D policies availble in any given region of the country.&nbsp; On Monday, the administration pulled back from the proposal after pressure came from a variety of groups to withdraw the changes and both Republicans and Democrats expressed opposition.&nbsp; What happened?&nbsp; <br />
For a discussion on the issue, see:&nbsp; <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/10/us-usa-healthcare-medicare-idUSBREA2706420140310">www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/10/us-usa-healthcare-medicare-idUSBREA2706420140310</a>&nbsp; <br />
For another view, don't miss:&nbsp; <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/03/11/obama-retreats-on-medicare-part-d-changes/">www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/03/11/obama-retreats-on-medicare-part-d-changes/</a><br />
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It's worth noting this final paragraph of the Reuters story:&nbsp; &quot;<span id="articleText">The $70 billion Part D program launched a decade  ago under former President George W. Bush. Over 10 years, its costs of  $346 billion have been 45 percent lower than initially projected.<strong>&quot;</strong></span>";s:6:"format";s:1:"2";}}s:17:"field_story_image";a:1:{i:0;N;}s:12:"field_weight";a:1:{i:0;a:1:{s:5:"value";N;}}}