Can Anyone Enlighten me on the Medicare Bill recently passed?

[TNOE]

Totally out of the loop on this one. Watched Washington Journal briefly Sunday AM and most callers were pissed. Many Republicans saying they will never vote Republican again. The article in Sunday's paper only highlighted the good points I'm guessing. What's really wrong with this bill?

Early thanks for your responses.

[ClintonTyree]

1. One point..............

it doesn't address the COST of prescription drugs. The government in fact, will be subsidizing pharmaceutical companies to bring the cost down. Another give away to Bush's "Rangers". I'll let others jump in with their particular gievences.

[redqueen]

2. Not only will we be providing taxpayer funding to subsidize big pharma

but that 'sunsets' after 6 to 10 years, at which point the seniors covered will be abandoned by private industry, just as they were under medicare plus.

Not sure if this bill has the option for participants to switch back to medicare coverage, which is the only thing that saved the seniors who switched to medicare plus.

Bunch of jackasses...

And the cost will skyrocket as baby boomers retire, so this bill probably has Norquist walking on clouds ... marking his calendar and waiting for the day he can strangle these programs for good.

edit: forgot a major problem with this bill... there's a 'doughnut' in it, which means that for about $1,500 of your expenses, you're not covered at all. It's laughable. You're covered up to a point, then you're not, then after you've paid $1,500 out of pocket, you're covered again. Ludicrous.

And ANOTHER problem is that it does NOT allow for negotiation of lower prescription prices. Veterans Administration does this, and gets anywhere from 25 to 50% reductions in cost. Completely transparent payola to big pharma.

[TNOE]

3. Canadian Drugs

I read in the little brief summary in the Enquirer - that it doesn't eliminate Seniors being able to get drugs from Canada - but the way that it is written makes it nearly impossible??

I can't figure out if the freeps are against it because they say its "bigger government" or "socialist" - or what. I must say - since both sides are against it - its GOT to be bad... people are very pissed at AARP for condoning it. All I know (on speculation) if its a Bush* plan - the seniors are definitely getting screwed and the pharmaceuticals are making out like bandits.

Commercials for drugs should be completely banned - save those $$ right off the bat. If you need something - your doctor should be suggesting it - not a commercial. Ridiculous.

[redqueen]

4. AFAIK it doesn't deal with it.

It might address Canadian reimportation, but I'm not sure.

That won't be a problem for big pharma for long, anyhow. These huge multinationals are making plans to only export as much as Canada can use, so there won't be much to export back to us.

[baby_bear]

5. It hasn't actually passed yet (but it will). Here's some info

The Senate is voting on cloture to end debate right now. That will pass with the requisite 60 votes because enough Dems are selling out. It 's not clear when the actual vote on the bill will be. Partly depends on whether Kennedy decides to forgo the 30 hourse automatically remaining when cloture passes, to keep debating. (If cloture failed, debate could go on indefinitely.)

Only the Medicare program, i.e., the secretary of HHS, is forbidden from negotiating with drug companies for lower drug costs for Medicare recipients. As soon as HMOs come into the picture, they can do so, which effectively will make those who want to stay in standard Medicare pay much more money. That is one of the ways this bill starts to wipe out Medicare and turn it over to private companies.

s_m

[redqueen]

6. Kick

:kick: