Subscribe to this blog's feed"I'm pleased to report that over the weekend we reached an understanding that will help close the notorious 'doughnut hole' in Medicare Part D. This is a significant breakthrough on the road to health care reform -- one that will make the difference in the lives of many older Americans."
~ President Obama / June 22, 2009
Yes, hurray hurray for seniors over fifty on meds, most of which are generics, unless they happen to have AIDS. There are a lot of seniors with AIDS, don't get me wrong, and the number is growing. But what about me, I'm on a fixed income, am I the ONLY one paying closed to over $7000 to Big Pharma annually? Every year the "doughnut hole" grows larger: '08 $4050; '09 $4375; etc. Who knows how much it will be with I'm a senior? This "doughnut hole" was a typical half-assed Obama move. No mention of creating a Federal ADAP system, or, god forbid, a PEPFAR for the United States? (Giving drugs away to AIDS orphans in Florida...that's preposterous? Uganda...do you want my FedEx number?) I have written my senators, posted blogs, and even drafted a letter to President-Elect Obama on Change.org, hoping desperately he would make a different. If Prez Fierce Advocate REALLY wanted to make a different he should have cut the cost of the "doughnut hole" for ALL participants on Medicare, more importantly people with AIDS whose only option is brand name drugs. I guess Obama isn't man enough to really tangle with Big Pharma, start looking at their balance sheets, and see who's getting rich while people are still dying. Geez...first I was feeling like a second class citizen because I was too gay, now I'm too young?...fooey!
Trying to be positive,
Dplus
David -
Actually, the proposed pharmaceutical discounts are for all people relying on Part D, including younger individuals living with HIV. Obama basically misspoke when he referred only to "older Americans."
However, there's some potential fine print. While the proposed 50 percent discounts in drug costs for those on Part D will likely lower monthly out-of-pocket spending, it will ultimately drag out the length of time someone actually spends in the doughnut hole on an annual basis. With a 50 percent discount on drug prices, it will essentially take twice as long to reach the $6,154 total drug spend before the 95 percent Part D coverage benefit kicks in. In other words, while you may spend less on a monthly basis, you may end up spending the exact same amount of money on a monthly basis.
While the proposed discounts are a step in the right direction, the ultimate goal really needs to be to phase out the Part D doughnut hole completed, a key aspect of the health care reform legislation drafted by the chairmen of the three House committees. FULL coverage of drugs is the best way to ensure people with Medicare, including those living with HIV, can afford the medicines they need.
Tim Horn
Your right Tim Horn all the new proposal will do is delay how long you are paying into the hole. There shouldn't be a hole at all it is made up by a person who was a congress or Senator amd is Now executive of that insurance company. Thats what is illegal about this thing He was suppposed to wait so many years before taking that insurance exec. job So that is the type of people running our health funds he made the law for the dougnut hole and now has a fat millions of dollar a year job for the rest of his kids even, lives. Its contract is scamming itself if that insiurance company got away with one of this countries greatest crimes and nothing is being done about it. Sad for us HIV/AIDS suffer the consquinces of his action.