Bush, Insurance Industry Declare Open Season On America's Seniors

[BurtWorm]

by Robert M. Hayes
October 27, 2005



Robert M. Hayes, an attorney, is president of the Medicare Rights Center, the nation's largest independent source of information and assistance on health care rights and benefits for older and disabled men and women. He led the national and New York Coalitions for the Homeless from 1979 to 1989, and has practiced law with firms in New York and Maine.

...

Starting January 1, 2006, Medicare will offer limited prescription drug coverage to Americans age 65 and over and to younger Americans with serious and prolonged disabilities. That should be a good thing. Medicare, the best national health care system in our nation’s history, has lacked prescription drug coverage for far too long.

But the overdue response to a great national need—yes, older Americans routinely suffer and die in this country for lack of affordable medicine—has been corrupted into a profit-seeking feeding frenzy that will enrich powerful supporters of the Bush administration and leave millions of people with Medicare paralyzed like deer in headlights.

For the first time in the history of Medicare, there will be a Medicare benefit that is not available under the Original Medicare program—the government run fee-for-service program through which the vast majority of people with Medicare receive their health benefits. To get Medicare drug coverage, older and disabled Americans will now have to enroll in a private plan that provides drug coverage. They can choose a stand-alone drug plan that lets them continue to get the rest of their health benefits though Original Medicare. Or they can choose a managed-care plan, like an HMO, that will provide all their health benefits, including drug coverage.

In many parts of the country, people with Medicare—including the oldest, frailest and most disabled—will face upward of 40 competing drug plans. Each plan will have varying deductibles and premiums; differing and ever-changing lists of covered drugs; an array of co-payments for different prescriptions; special requirements to be met before certain drugs will be covered; and pharmacy networks that may or may not include an individual’s favorite neighborhood pharmacy....


http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20051027/open_season_on_americas_seniors.php