Medicare Drug Plan Looks Like a Big Scam - Los Angeles Times
The new prescription drug coverage that the administration has touted as its major social policy achievement for seniors is nothing short of a debacle. The plan might as well have been written by big pharma and the administration's faith in consumer choice is proving to be a fiasco when it comes to older Americans confronted with the gobbledygook that clothes this handout to the pharmaceutical industry. - Art Caplan; [Link]contribute a comment
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I agree that the Medicare part D Prescription plan is a debacle. Many of our elderly are not capable of making the decisions that are necessary in order to get the right plan. The cost is also still very high for many on a fixed income. Our elderly come from a more uncomplicated era compound that with a lack of education or even a touch of dementia, and that spells disaster! To expect them to interview various insurance companies, study formularies (most of them have probably never even heard of a formulary before) and choose the one that covers most of their meds, or risk having to change the meds that they are on is confusing at the very least! Then there are the dual eligible, who have just been plunked into a plan without any review of medications. The results are that they are attempting to renew their prescriptions only to find that they are no longer covered and they have to switch to something else. The cost which can be as great as $3600.00 per year is also a lot of money. Maybe this is not an issue to congress with their salaries and benefits, but to the average elderly person who is trying to make ends meet it is a lot of money. Decisions, decisions, do we buy our meds, pay the gas bill, buy groceries (I wonder what that cat food tastes like?) or what. I truly don't think that this plan is alleviating the burden of expensive drugs from our elderly at all in fact, I suspect that it is actually enabling many insurance companies to pad their pockets with profits from these plans. My advice to the government is: Really do what is best for our elderly. Simplify, simplify, simplify! Go ahead and charge a monthly fee and maybe a deductable. Then make all drugs one price! How about $10.00 or 20.00 or the actual cost if lower! Don't pander to whoever it is you are. Do the right thing!
- by Judy Northrop on Jan 29, 2006 at 6:51 PM | link
The Medicare Part D Prescription plan has been a disaster since it's inception. The population I serve are very overwhelmed and feel as if they have no where to turn. They are making choices that are not based on knowledge, but based on fear. The plan has been mismanged and presented in a very unorganized manner leaving people scrambling for answers that don't seem to be available. I think the plan could have been rolled out in a more organized fashion and that various service agencies could have been provided the valuable information they needed to pass on to the consumer. There are many elderly person's living in fear at this point and have no one to turn to. Many are being forced to choose between food, heat and meds. I wonder how many will just throw their hands up in frustration and say the heck with it?
- by Kris Ghering on Jan 30, 2006 at 12:19 PM | link
The Medicare Plan Part D is as complicated as everything else the government publishes. It is extremely difficult to understand even with a college degree. As you read and answer questions you must jump around from page to page. It's a shame that it is so confusing. Older adults, who for the most part have deteriorating mental capacities, are way in over their heads. It does not help that their situation is compounded with fear that if they don't make a decision they will lose the benefit. They are already on a fixed income and shouldn't have to pay more for prescriptions than necessary especially if they pick the wrong program. If they can't afford the medications, most likely they won't take them. As a nurse, I am continuously bombarded with questions from older cliets regarding prescriptions but am able to offer little support. I'm not sure which plan is better than another. There are also too many insurance companies that have joined the band wagon. Are they all legitiment?
- by Donna Tutino on Jan 30, 2006 at 1:17 PM | link
As a nurse working with Medicare Plan Part D has been a confusing mess. There are so many plans to pick from, and each has it's own features. In January when most of the plans took effect, patients did not have their new cards, most just recieved letters that didn't contain the correct identification numbers. The pharmacies were bombarded by rejected claims and people did not recieve their medications. I have heard horror stories from patients that are afraid they will not be able to afford their medications, so they are taking them every other day instead. Most consumers were not told when they signed up for the plans that some medications were not covered, so people on the same medication for years must be changed to a different drug. I myself attended a information session on the different insurance products, and I left more confused that before I had came. Though the Part D Plan in the long run will be beneficial to most people, the government should have been more organized in the manner that this new policy was introuduced to the public, especially when the target population is already volunerable.
- by Erika Still on Jan 31, 2006 at 11:25 AM | link