Bush Administration Outlines New Medicare Rules

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health officials on Monday unveiled proposed rules for a new prescription drug benefit as they detailed their plans to implement part of the Medicare bill that they say will save both the elderly and employers money.

The regulations include steps for permanent drug coverage that would replace the current prescription cards in 2006. They also outline other provisions from the legislation passed last year, including options to help employers pay for retiree benefits.

The new drug benefit "will help make (prescription drug costs) much more predictable," U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said.

The current cards have sparked criticism from several political fronts for being too confusing and offering scant savings for medicines as well as being too costly.

Like the existing cards, the permanent version is also voluntary and relies on insurance companies to negotiate drug costs and pass along the savings.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=5777555&src=rss/ElectionCoverage§ion=news

This plan is rather skimpy. With my poor math skills, I arrived at this example:

If someone earns over $12,568/yr and has RX expenses of $300/mo, the new monthly average (after a somewhat convoluted reckoning that changes with nearly every amount), is still over $203/mo.

The more the amt is over $3,600/yr paid for meds, the better the savings.

[happynewyear]

1. more BS

no one wants this plan. I was advised that my former employer wants absolutely nothing to do with it - not to their advantage.

duh ....

:dem: :kick:

[kainah]

2. they're obviously very proud of it

I mean, they waited until a slow news period to roll it out. /sarcasm

[aquart]

3. "Predictable"????? That's the benefit?

I predict the cost of medicine and healthcare will plunge countless families into poverty, even though they worked hard all their lives, obeyed the law, served their country, and planned for the future.