A reason to enlist in the military?

The Iraq war has made military recruiting difficult. Salaries are low, and the work is difficult and dangerous. But at least the retirement benefits are pretty good. From the Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report:

Prescription drug prices under the new Medicare drug benefit are considerably higher than the prices negotiated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a study by Families USA, the St. Petersburg Times reports (Nohlgren [1], St. Petersburg Times, 12/22). The study found that the median price difference for a one-year supply of the 20 drugs most commonly prescribed to seniors is 48.2% (Families USA release, 12/21).

The only more expensive drug is Nexium, which is a good one to avoid anyway.Families USA's motivation in funding the study was to demonstrate that CMS should use its clout to negotiate on behalf of all Medicare recipients, something that is forbidden by the Medicare Modernization Act. A Medicare spokesman said the study presents "a tired old ideological argument"