Does this House health insurance reform bill remove the Medicare Part D giveaways to ins cos.? nt

[valerief]

[emulatorloo]

1. Here's a link to the bill

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3962:

[Faygo Kid]

2. Not sure specifically what you mean, but it closes the "doughnut hole."

That's something, anyway. Part D remains in effect. Not sure about other provisions, like allowing the government to negotiate prices. I hope that's in there.

[zeos3]

3. There seem to be steps in that direction.

At a quick glance, the bill requires negotiation to lower covered drug prices. That's good.

There is mention of a reduction or waiver of the copay for generic drugs. This means that those covered under Medicare Part D will pay lower or no copay. It does not say how much the plan will pay the pharmaceutical companies. This still might be an indirect cost to the insured through higher premiums.

The bill does not allow the insurers to change the formulary schedule for the drugs. This means that they can't change how much of a drugs cost they cover in the middle of the year. In other words, if your drug costs you $50/month on your side of the copay the insurers can't increase your copay to $60, $70, or whatever, in the middle of the year. They have to make these changes before they start their annual marketing campaign.

The bill eventually closes the coverage gap or "doughnut hole." The bill increases the coverage limit and decreases the out of pocket limit until there is no gap in coverage. That's good. The down side is that the gap will finally be plugged by 2019. There will be 9 more years of coverage gap until then.

[valerief]

4. But I thought the president asked that the Medicare Advantage administration money given to

insurance companies be removed and used toward HCR expenses instead.

[zeos3]

5. Off to work now, I'll have to look that up later

[valerief]

7. Thanks! I'm going through the bill and can't find it. nt

[Laelth]

6. LOL. I doubt it.

Our Dems.? Actually take on the pharmaceutical companies and stop the from gouging us? No way. Not this year. Probably not in th next decade.



-Laelth