New Medicare law trips up the poor

[question everything]

New Medicare law trips up the poor

Doctors, pharmacists say some will die for lack of medicine

By Cheryl Clark
STAFF WRITER

January 12, 2006

Martha Reagan controls her heart disease and other health problems with 26 drugs that she used to get free through Medi-Cal. But her new Medicare prescription drug plan doesn't cover anywhere near that many, and she can't find a plan that will.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have a stroke any minute just worrying about it," said the Chula Vista resident, whose Social Security checks can't pay the drugs' cost. Since Jan. 1, many of the more than 1 million Californians like Reagan – about 66,000 of them in San Diego County – have found themselves in similar straits. Pharmacists, physicians, family members and health advocates fear for such patients' health and are frustrated with the long hours spent fighting a bureaucracy that seems unwilling to bend, even when essential drugs are at issue.

(snip)

Traditionally, the 7.2 million low-income Medicare patients nationwide had their prescriptions covered by state-run Medicaid programs; the one in California is called Medi-Cal. But starting this year, the new Medicare rules require these "dual eligible" patients to enroll in commercial plans that would provide their prescription drugs.

(snip)

Health advocates, doctors and pharmacists complain of missing patient records, computer delays, poorly staffed hotlines for Medicare and drug plans, uninformed insurance company representatives, and many patients being asked to pay hundreds of dollars for drugs they should be able to get for a co-payment of $1 to $5 per drug. Many companies' drug lists are inadequate, they said, and it's virtually impossible to obtain an exception.

(snip)

Cheryl Clark: [phone]; [email protected]


Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060112/news_1n12medicare.html

[cry baby]

1. Extermination of the poor, old, sick. On purpose!

They are about survival of the fittest.

[firefox]

3. We are just batteries for those that own the machines.

You know a number that is a big secret? If anyone knows the total of pharmaceutical sales in 2005, would they please post it.

[oneold1-4u]

4. All the more left to steal

From SS and people themselves. Soon any children or family of these elderly and disabled who die will be charged with the cost of the plans for months, and any Rxs filled and not paid for, whether the person ever got them or not!
When and how will we ever dig out of this horrible corrupt mess?

[question everything]

21. From the ones who do not want to teach evolution... (nt)

[UrbScotty]

2. Guess real Christian values are too much for the GOP, huh? (nt)

[bob4460]

8. the god that failed

Pride you took
Pride you feel
Pride that you felt when you’d kneel

Not the word
Not the love
Not what you thought from above

It feeds
It grows
It clouds all that you will know
Deceit
Deceive
Decide just what you believe

I see faith in your eyes
Never your hear the discouraging lies
I hear faith in your cries
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by the deepened nail

Follow the God that failed

Find your peace
Find your say
Find the smooth road in your way

Trust you gave
A child to save
Left you cold and him in grave

It feeds
It grows
It clouds all that you will know
Deceit
Deceive
Decide just what you believe

I see faith in your eyes
Never you hear the discouraging lies
I hear faith in your cries
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by the deepened nail

Follow the God that failed

I see faith in your eyes
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by the deepened nail

Follow the God that failed

Pride you took
Pride you feel
Pride that you felt when you’d kneel

Trust you gave
A child to save
Left you cold and him in grave

I see faith in your eyes
Never you hear the discouraging lies
I hear faith in your cries
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by deepened nail

Follow the God that failed

[AuntiBush]

9. You Got That Right.

Where's the OUTRAGE from the so-called Christian Right groups, huh?

Where are they now? How many sick, disabled, and elderly will be on life-support before anyone cares?

[anotherdrew]

5. the democrats knew this would kill people, they let it pass

They should have fillibustered even this. And if the 'newkewler option' was used they should have all gotten up and walked out. They have failed to ever draw a line in the sand and now there's not much sand left.

[rodeodance]

6. yes, it was a sad night when that passed.

[xxqqqzme]

7. the serial killer marches

on and begins his next killing spree closer 2 home.

[Wordie]

10. This was a plan designed by the drug companies for their own benefit,

with the help of the administration, with little concern for the needs of seniors, or the practical realities of their lives.

[WhiteTara]

11. you left out the insurance companies

this was a major boon for them. Money for nothing

[Wordie]

13. Good point. I stand corrected. Thank you.

[WhiteTara]

24. I wish we could correct them!

[anitar1]

12. It was designed to get rid of old, sick people.

I have said from the beginning of the BFEE's take over, that they would find a way to eliminate the old and poor, and this is the way they will do it.The message is , just die and get out of our way.

[OneBlueSky]

14. another major problem is that pharmaceutical companies . . .

are now making anyone eligible for Part D ineligible for their patient assistance plans (PAPs), through which low income individuals can get their medications free from the manufacturers . . . many of the drugs that patients receive through their PAPs are the most expensive ones -- which are precisely the ones most likely to be excluded from the formularies (approved drug lists) of the insurers participating in the Part D program . . .

I speak from experience . . . I've been informed by the company that has been providing me with a VERY expensive medication for over five years that I will no longer be eligible for their program because I'm on Medicare and therefore eligible for Part D . . . the fact that ALL of the programs available in my area specifically exclude this medication from their formularies (because of its cost, no doubt) makes no difference to them at all . . . so instead of Part D saving me money, it's going to cost me thousands each year to stay on the only medication that has really helped me for the past five years . . .

[devilgrrl]

15. Well at least QUEERS can't marry!

:sarcasm:

[annabanana]

16. they are old and poor. . . . not real people, you know...

They cost us money and should die as soon as possible and decrease the surplus population.

[area51]

17. "...some will die for lack of medicine"

People are already dying due to lack of medicine & lack of medical treatment b/c we don't have universal healthcare.

We have billions to spend on corporate welfare, congress's healthcare, the nazi war of Iraq-nam, but no wise use of tax dollars on universal healthcare. Whom would Jesus deny healthcare to? We're a pandemic waiting to happen.

[DiverDave]

18. Money is worth more then lives

they could care less about people dieing...they just want a good quarterly profit.

Evil twisted bastards will be the first to explain their actions, come the revolution.

And make no mistake...the revolution is coming.

[Pryderi]

19. I wonder what the death toll will be, and if the press will cover it.

[question everything]

22. Or, how easy or difficult it would be to trace such death

to lack of medical attention.

One can always die of "natural causes."

[0rganism]

20. Efficiency and progress is ours once more...

Kill the Poor/Dead Kennedys

Efficiency and progress is ours once more
Now that we have the Neutron bomb
It’s nice and quick and clean and gets things done
Away with excess enemy
With no less value to property
No sense in war but perfect sense at home…

The sun beams down on a brand new day
No more welfare tax to pay
Unsightly slums gone up in flashing light
Jobless millions whisked away
At last we have more room to play
All systems go to kill the poor tonight

Gonna Kill Kill Kill Kill
Kill the poor…Tonight

Behold the sparkle of champagne
The crime rate’s gone, feel free again
Oh life’s a dream with you, Miss Lily White
Jane Fonda on the screen today
Convinced the liberals it’s okay
So let’s get dressed and dance away the night

While they…Kill Kill Kill Kill
Kill the poor…Tonight

cf http://www.deadkennedys.com/images/albums/ffrv/lyrics.htm

[cosmicdot]

23. to think that just enough Republicans voted against it ...

which, had we not had turn-coat Democrats voting FOR it, it could have been stopped in its tracks ...

what a mess ... probably on purpose ... but, hey, some of Bu$hCo's corporate insurance buddies are picking up some extra premiums to pimp our meds, and Big Pharma has raised prices to offset any discounts ... the system will self-destroy ... so, it's a win-win for them ... mission accomplished ... wonder if phone taps helped to 'flip' the House vote from defeat to victory?

~snip~

"Last month, the House passed the measure after Bush made late-night, last-minute phone calls asking members to support it. An unusually long three-hour vote was ended by GOP leaders at 6 a.m., after a 218 to 216 deficit flipped to a 220 to 215 victory.

"The Senate's 54-to-44 vote was not entirely along party lines -- 11 Democrats voted in favor and nine Republicans voted no."

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/08/elec04.medicare/

Democratic Senators voting for this mess:

Baucus (D-MT),Breaux (D-LA),Carper (D-DE),Conrad (D-ND),Dorgan (D-ND),Feinstein (D-CA),Landrieu (D-LA),Lincoln (D-AR),Miller (D-GA),Nelson (D-NE),Wyden (D-OR)

Jeffords (I) voted for it.

Kerry and Lieberman weren't there to vote.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=1&vote=00459

Even Trent Lott voted AGAINST it. Yet, those 'moderates' Snowe, Collins voted FOR it.

House vote can be found here:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll669.xml




look who is standing with Frist: 2 DLC Democrats: Baucus and former LA Senator Breaux

~snip~
Fellow Democrat Max Baucus of Montana said he was "extremely proud" of the bill, which he said brings "Medicare up into this century."
~snip~
"Supporters of the bill -- including some Democrats who, like Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, said it was better than no bill at all -- hailed the vote as a victory for senior citizens."
~snip~
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/11/25/elec04.medicare/index.html

Better than no bill at all, eh, Dianne???