Medicare won't reimburse states for emergency drug costs (K-R)

[Up2Late]

(Is "Medicare administrator Mark McClellan..." Scott's brother?)

Posted on Tue, Jan. 17, 2006

Medicare won't reimburse states for emergency drug costs

By Tony Pugh
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - The federal government won't repay states that are making emergency purchases for hundreds of thousands of poor, sick people whose new Medicare drug coverage isn't yet working, Medicare officials say. Instead, those states must recoup the money from the private plans that began providing drug coverage Jan. 1 on behalf of Medicare.

Medicare administrator Mark McClellan said the new Medicare legislation was clear: "Under this program, we don't have the authority to pay states directly. People are in Medicare drug plans and it's the Medicare plans that are supposed to pay for the medications."

That could create an administrative nightmare for the states that stepped up to safeguard the health of low-income elderly and disabled people whose Medicare coverage hasn't materialized because of administrative problems and poor planning by Medicare officials. Now, those states will bear the cost of filing hundreds of thousands of claims with the dozens of private drug plans that provide Medicare coverage within their borders.

"That's going to be very complicated," said Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, the chairman of the National Governors Association, who was frustrated and disappointed by the news. "We're doing the federal government a favor. We're in essence loaning them money while they get their problems worked out. ... Now we're going to not only become the bank, but the collection agency? Next, we'll be manufacturing the drugs and selling them," he said Tuesday.

(more at link below)

<http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/13647748.htm?source=rss&channel=krwashington_nation>

[jimshoes]

1. I think people are beginning

to see what a ruthless criminal enterprise in in control of the USA. The time has come to let them know who "We The People" are and who works for who.

[bullimiami]

2. translation : we scewed it up on purpose. now they are your problem.

dont call us...we dont care.

[roguevalley]

3. Oh god. It never ends. Hey, Huckabee! How does it feel to be screwed

by your own party? Nice?

[stillcool]

4. Holy Crap...He is!!!! WTF?????

A doctor and economist, McClellan, 40, has politics in his blood. His mother, Carole Keeton Strayhorn, is a former mayor of Austin, Texas, and is currently the state comptroller. His brother Scott is the White House press secretary. McClellan served on President Bush's Council of Economic Advisers and in the Clinton Treasury Department. That experience could make him a contender for secretary of Health and Human Services when Tommy Thompson departs. If George W. Bush sticks around for a second term, chances are good he'll want at least one McClellan nearby.

edit to add link http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3769766/site/newsweek/

[kayice]

7. Not to mention the pharmacies that already filled meds

for people on their own, not knowing if and when they would get paid. Have you checked your meds prices lately? No surprise, Big Pharma raised the prices again just like the drug discount cards....way to go, Dufus W!

[hang a left]

22. No flippin way...

I thought it was just one of those name coincidences. Where does Scott's sister work?

[PinkyisBlue]

24. The McCrony Family

A doctor and economist, McCrony has politics in his blood. His brother, Scott McCrony, is the White House press secretary, his mother, Carole "Mom" McCrony, is the Texas state comptroller, and his dog, Barney McCrony, is the official White House dog.

[mom cat]

5. A lot of people will remember in November.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

10. People Don't Remember Shit

The U.S. public has a 5 Minute attention span, only slightly longer than a tick crawing up my wall. They barely can remember what happened last week, let alone 10 months ago.

This country is so whacked, and they'll continue to take this abuse.

[anitar1]

25. I believe that one too. Maybe when they are looking

for a bridge to sleep under, you think?

[UpInArms]

6. privatizing the profits, socializing the risks

continuing MO of this mal-administration.

Forcing higher and higher costs onto the backs of those least able to pay - screaming that their crapass plans are working - yeah, right - they're working - for the BFEE and those that think this country is made of Fodder Units - taking and taking and taking - lives, treasure and every thing that is good - squandering it at the behest of the most evil, corrupt and contemptible.

Have I said how much I hate this nasty mal-administration lately?

[wordpix2]

20. Vote Repug: privatize the profits, socialize the costs

[Oeditpus Rex]

8. Didn't McClellan also say

the problems with the new Medicare prescription system are just "kinks that'll be worked out"? Or was that Leavitt of HHS?

[Up2Late]

13. Sort of reminds me of what Rummy said while Iraq was being looted...

...what was it? Oh yeah:

"Stuff happens," he told reporters. "And it's untidy, and freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things."

[firefox]

9. That was great of the Feds to outlaw negotiating pill prices

These are glorious days for unrestrained profits with free trade agreements and all.

[nickyt]

11. Huckabee did a fantastic job of caring for Katrina survivors - he was

out there personally welcoming people to Arkansas. I mean, he really went the distance to make things happen for them. Last I heard, he was pretty disgusted at FEMA's lack of response to his requests for help...I think that as more states are forced to pick up the slack as these diasters pile up, Republican leaders like Huckabee will also be forced to reconsider what their party is really about these days...

[pinerow]

15. Dream on...

and Welcome to DU...:eyes:

[pinerow]

12. Why is this a surprise...the unraveling of the social contract

continues and yet, the idiots keep voting the bastards in...and please don't tell me about voting machines blah blah blah...voting machines did not put Reagan in office and these folks are continuing the job that St. Ronnie gave them...woting machines did not put Poppy in the White House, and it was the the lack of a strategy and the backbone that allowed the RW Supremes, including the so-called Saint Sandra....

[AuntiBush]

14. Getting Rid of Medicare, One State at a Time...

This seems like the old "divide & conquer" scheme. Lay it on state citizens to turn against, you know, all those elderly, disabled, and the poor. Next-up, our Social Security. Hope I'm wrong, sincerely.

Anyone that calls themselves "Christians" and backs */* up, are not reading from the same Bible I have.

[hang a left]

23. Anyone that still backs **

I refuse to be in the same room with. Including family.

[leftchick]

16. I am sorry but

DOES THIS FUCKING SURPRISE ANYONE???

:argh: :cry: :banghead:

we told you we told you we told you..


:cry:

[Up2Late]

19. I just want to know, Who do all the Son's and Daughter's sue...

...when their parents DIE because they couldn't get their Heart Medicine, High Blood Pressure Medicines, etc. when they needed them???

And I don't even want to begin to think about all the "Mental Health Emergencies" that could happen due to this too. (can you tell I've been though this with my HMO?)

[jpak]

17. Major fuck-up for the GOP

Seniors, their families* and taxpayers* in the states getting shafted are going to go ballistic.

Hopefully that anger will translate into Democratic votes this Fall.

* especially if their credit card minimums doubled this month.

[wordpix2]

21. it will be itneresting to see how BushCo spins this one

[baby_bear]

18. Maybe more states will work with Canada

...they can form consortiums among themselves and buy from Canada or other countries. What can the feds do? Arrest the Republican governors?

The Bushies seem to forget that even Republican governors must take care of the people in their states.

This is really an amazing development, and with Leavitt as head of HHS, he who was once the gov of Utah. How soon they forget, and take up the Bushita coat of arms.

b_b

[anitar1]

26. I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but I believe

that this whole thing was planned this way, meant to fail. In a few months pea brain will hit the road again , pushing his SS reform and many will go for it, forgetting what a mess he has made. The other day he was praising himself for this wonderful new SS program.The whole thing is a set up, IMHO.

[ninkasi]

27. Bush has tied himself

to this POS medicare legislation, as he has to the failed war in Iraq. I hope that he, and his supporters, choke on both of these things. Bush and his supporters are nothing but shit...my only reaction to them is to scrape them from the bottom of my shoes.

[Up2Late]

29. The only problem is, most of his "Target demographic" won't be touched...

...by any of this.

Hopefully, this time, this FUBAR will effect enough regular people to cause a big shift in voting.

[leftchick]

28. kick

:grr:

[ngGale]

30. Pond scum of the earth....

every one of them, criminals.:mad: