Topeka ? Rep. Jerry Moran has jumped into efforts to postpone a deadline seniors face for enrolling in Medicare’s new prescription drug coverage, and he’s pushing several other changes as well.

Moran, a Republican who represents the 1st District of western and central Kansas, held a Statehouse news conference Friday to publicize a bill he has introduced in Congress. His measure also would permit the federal government to negotiate with manufacturers over drug prices and allow states to require registration by insurance companies providing Medicare drug coverage.

Moran voted last year against the legislation establishing the prescription drug coverage and said Friday he was worried that seniors would be confused. Under the law, private companies provide coverage; 41 plans are available in Kansas.

“It’s an issue across all 50 states,” Moran said. “The pressure is on to do something.”

State officials are pleased with expanded Medicare coverage, but they’ve also complained it has been difficult for some seniors.

Earlier, they worried some 42,000 poor seniors who already had been receiving drug coverage directly from the government faced problems filling prescriptions once they switched to Medicare coverage. Until Wednesday, the state covered prescriptions in such cases, spending $3.5 million on 51,000 prescriptions for more than 14,000 individuals.

Joining Moran Friday was Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, a Republican, who also has called for postponing the May 15 enrollment deadline, as has Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat.

Moran, Praeger and other officials worry the remaining 360,000 Kansans who are eligible for Medicare would find enrolling for drug coverage too confusing.

Federal officials have said thousands of Americans had enrolled for coverage each week without encountering problems. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt has suggested there’s no need to postpone the deadline.

Maren Turner, director of Kansas AARP, said while her organization had heard about problems, it also had heard from people who have enrolled successfully. She said Medicare recipients shouldn’t wait until May to take an inventory of their prescriptions and talk to someone they trust about drug coverage.

“It is really worth the time,” Turner said. “We want them to take advantage of key benefits that might help them manage the cost of health care.”

Moran said there are other issues to tackle. He said allowing states to require insurance companies to register would improve oversight of drug plans.

Praeger is pursuing a registration bill in the Legislature, although she is not sure she could enforce a requirement without a federal law. Her measure passed the Senate this week, 39-0.

Moran also noted federal law prevents the government from negotiating with pharmaceutical manufacturers over drug costs for Medicare recipients. He said the government ought to push for volume discounts.

“We need to work more on cost issues than simply asking the taxpayers to pick up the tab,” Moran said.

Finally, Moran is seeking an additional $200 million for the Social Security Administration and the Medicare program to provide counseling for seniors enrolling in a drug plan.