Drug plan a bitter pill

[question everything]

Drug plan a bitter pill

Some independent pharmacists fear Part D will cause them to close or sell their business

By Keith Darcé
STAFF WRITER

June 4, 2006

No one said adding prescription drug coverage to the federal government's health insurance program for seniors would be easy. But the headaches created by the biggest change ever made to Medicare are proving unexpectedly taxing for pharmacists.

While the program, known as Part D, appears to be producing savings for many seniors and higher profits for private insurance companies, pharmacists say those benefits are coming at their expense.

Hardest hit are independent pharmacists, who already were struggling to compete against growing competition from national chain operators and retailers such as Rite-Aid and Wal-Mart... Pharmacists say they are spending costly hours on the telephone wrestling with drug plan operators over restrictions on higher-priced pharmaceuticals.

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The problem is squeezing pharmacists – especially independent drugstore operators who cater to low-income customers – in ways most hadn't anticipated, said Kristina Lunner, senior director of government affairs for the American Pharmacists Association in Washington, D.C... Pharmacists aren't alone. Some physicians are facing similar frustrations.

Dr. Joseph Scherger recently suggested changing the drug regimen of an 85-year-old patient who suffers from diabetes. The UCSD Medical Center physician wanted to swap the three insulin pills that the man takes twice a day with a single insulin shot. But Scherger didn't make the change because the patient's Part D drug plan did not cover the injected medication, and the elderly man couldn't afford to pay for the treatment out-of-pocket.

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Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060604/news_z1b4drug.html

[mitchtv]

1. It is a god dammned crime

I have it, I know. The stress of trying to get my drugs took 4 months and a heart attack. What a crock, any member who voted for this travesty must go.It destroyed my union/co/plan. Tomorrow I must pay 165.00 for covered medicine because of a "prior autorization" gimmick that can take forever I need them now, hence I must pay retail. Incidentally, it brought no savings to those who had a plan already, and dere dumpedinto paln D with no choice. increases for me have been drastic

[question everything]

2. One of the first thing that a Democratic Congress has to do

no, not impeachment. Not even immediate withdrawal from Iraq

Gutting the Plan D of Medicare

Reversing the tax cut for the top 1% of the wealthy

Mandating employers to contribute 50% of employees 401K

If the estate tax is canceled - reinstate it

Invest in infrastructure work to repair the crumbling bridges and highways; invest in public transportation - these jobs cannot be outsourced

Not sure, but I think that the "no child left behind" need to be gutted, too, or scrapped altogether

Invest in sex education and in adoption and health care for children so that informed women will be able to prevent unplanned pregnancy; so that children will be cared for, once they are out of the womb

I would also add have a national policy about election districts, so that no state will draw ones that favor incumbents - of either party