Mid-term Voters Said the Prescription Drug Benefit Did Not Play a Major
   Role in Their Voting Decisions, Contrary to Critics' Interest in Major
                                  Changes

    WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American voting
public does not support wholesale changes in the Medicare prescription drug
program, according to Democratic pollster Douglas Schoen, contrary to the
stated intention of new congressional leaders to push for major changes to
the program early next year.
    Schoen's conclusions, which stem from a recent survey conducted by
Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, closely resemble those of Republican
polling firm The Tarrance Group. Schoen said his conclusions stem from
three main findings:
    * Concern about prescription drugs ranked well down the list of "most
      important" issues listed by voters in exit polls on Election Day.

    * Overwhelming majorities of seniors are happy with the program and say
      they were likely to support officials who voted to create it.

    * A solid majority of voters favor competition over government
      price-setting to keep prescription drug prices low.
    Both surveys found that concern about Medicare Part D ranked low on the
list of voters' priorities during the November mid-term elections. Only two
percent of voters polled for each survey said it was the most important
factor in their voting decision.
    Further, a majority of all voters polled by Penn, Schoen & Berland said
they have a favorable opinion of the program. Even more telling, the same
study found that 75 percent of voters would be more likely to endorse a
candidate who had voted for the drug benefit. Schoen noted that this
positive response to the program echoes several other independent studies
that found roughly 80 percent of Medicare Part D beneficiaries are
satisfied with the program.
    Fifty-six percent of voters in Penn, Schoen & Berland's survey favor
allowing market competition to drive the pricing of prescription medicines
compared to a government-run system.
    The Tarrance Group poll also found that voters support competition in
Medicare Part D rather than government intervention by a two-to-one ratio.
Fifty-seven percent of voters said the best way to keep drug prices low is
market competition between insurance companies. Conversely, just 28 percent
said the government should mandate pricing of prescription medicine.
    For more information, please contact Jarrett Bens at +1-202-448-9280 or
jbens@qorvis.com
    Dr. Douglas Schoen, Chairman, Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates
    Dr. Schoen advises political leaders and heads of state in countries
around the world. He was President Clinton's research and strategic
consultant during the 1996 re-election. Dr. Schoen's current clients
include numerous Democratic governors and senators, and major corporations.
    The Tarrance Group
    The Tarrance Group is one of the most respected and successful
Republican survey research and strategy teams in American politics today.
The Tarrance Group currently serves as pollsters to five Republican
governors, 10 U.S. senators, and 45 Republican members of Congress.

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