Posted by
Charlie on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 2:44:28 PM
PART “D” FIASCO
There is an old saying that a camel is a horse designed by a committee. If there is anything worse than a horse designed by a committee it’s a prescription drug plan designed by a committee of congress. Well actually, as we shall see, this drug plan was designed by lobbyists for the benefit of insurance and pharmaceutical industries.
When first proposed it sounded like a good idea. To give retired people some relief from the exorbitant cost of drugs seemed like a noble if expensive gesture. People on Medicare would pay a co-payment and the government would pay the balance of the cost.
So far the horse had no humps.
At this point the vultures began to circle. The pharmaceutical companies and the insurance companies sent in their legions of lobbyists. These legions were more invincible than the Roman Legions of ancient times.
Suddenly, the simple plan became a hodge-podge of hundreds of different plans with different coverages. Some plans covered some drugs and not others. There were initial coverage limits which differed from plan to plan. After the initial coverage period there came a gap in which the really expensive drugs, where coverage was most needed, were not covered at all. It now became a crap shoot to pick the right plan. Picking a plan required a combination of savvy and clairvoyance. In addition, once you pick a plan you are stuck with it until January 1 of the following year. So someone who picks the wrong plan could be pauperized before they can change to a plan which more precisely suits their needs.
Suddenly the horse had a hump.
Then the lobbyists for the pharmaceutical companies moved in. Their task was simple and was accomplished with consummate ease. They lobbied for and got a provision written into the bill establishing this program which prohibited the government from negotiating with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices. The governments of other countries negotiate lower drug prices for their people. Our government turned its back on the American people and left them to the tender mercies of the avaricious pharmaceutical companies.
Americans already pay the highest drug prices in the world. Most of these drugs are developed in the United States often with government (taxpayer) assistance. So Americans pay the highest prices if not covered by a drug plan or have exceeded their basic drug coverage limit of $2250. In addition seniors are required to pay a premium for coverage under part “D” and the insurance company gets a fee of up to $758 for each person enrolled.
It’s time for this plan to be scrapped. Will our “representatives” in Washington do the right thing? Not a chance.
And this makes me “FURIOUS”