Hey, it's your long lost blogger. Obama finally signed
Health Care Reform into law, so what does this mean for ME? There will be some pretty quick changes
regarding my Medicare "donut hole." Remember
I've been whining about this in previous blogs ad nauseam (just love spicing it
up with a bit of Latin!) The donut hole, or officially the Medicare Part D
Drug Benefit Gap, was costing me and 3.4 million Americans either on disability
and/or seniors close to $4500 annually most of it paid out in the first few
months of the year. WOW, is right!
Here's the nuts and bolts (or flour and eggs) of the
original donut hole. Back in 2003 our
old friend President Bush and our Republican controlled Congress established
Medicare Part D for Americans to purchase drugs and allotted $400 billion over
the new 10 years. Obviously this didn't
last very long, and that when the donut hole got its name.
The Obama plan uses a combination of $80 billion from private
drug companies and $42.6 billion of government money over the 10 years to close
the doughnut hole. I'm doing the math in
my head but 80 plus 42.6 doesn't equal 400?
I did have a stroke so maybe you should double check my numbers? NPR
reported on this last week - Health Law Timeline: Closing The Medicare Drug Gap. Here's what's going to happen supposedly over
the next decade.
2010: reimbursement check of $250
to pay for cover Medicare Gap. DUH...It's already April, my donut hole is paid off. I'm now in the "catastrophic state" ($2.25 for a generic or preferred drug and $5.65 for other
drugs, or 5% coinsurance, whichever is greater.)
2011: This
is the good part, 50% off brand name drugs. Truvada $980, Kaletra $739, Lovenox
$702 - all slashed in half as a "gift" from the private drug companies, until my
donut hole is paid for! Keep in mind the
$80 billion is supposed to last for 10 years.
2012: Ditto.
2013->2020:
The
government will add 2.5% to the private drug money and eventually reach 25% by
2020. Magically private drug companies
and government subsidies will equal 75% off brand name drugs. Generic drug don't really register in my
budget, there's affordable. But they
will also be subsidized exclusively by the government up to 75% by 2020. Kind of like the "catastrophic state" for
generic drugs is now.
Let's hope that they can deliver. The $80 billion was non-negotiable and Obama had the support of Big Pharma in one fell
swoop. Big Insurance was now the enemy,
Big Pharma was our friend. No Socialist Obamacare
ads from drug companies, no band of Teabaggers chanting "Communist Drugs," etc.
But Big Pharma will still pour millions
of dollars into TV commercials, print ads, and sale reps. They will continue holding
conventions and education seminars about "their latest development" which is
probably a combination of drugs or a drug will a new name which simultaneously
treats another disease, ALL with new patents which last 20 years. Who knows how much the donut hole with cost in
two decades? It's still all about
profits and not patients.
I believe that this is all one big design that crosses party lines.
Look at it this way. The guy who fixes the hole in your flat tire on your car is the hero. Is he still a hero if he is the guy who put the hole in the tire in the first place?
To fix a hole, you first have to have a hole.
So, in health care, you put in a hole. Then, you act like a hero when you fix the hole.
All I can say is you get an A for your hole fixing.
What else is fixed?
Tony
hey now, glad your're back in swing of things, your blog is like a breath of fresh air. Happy to see you quit feeling sorry for yourself, (there is no benefit to that)
Hey Ms Hopper, right back at yah! ox
Glad to see you returning to blogland, David. The "reCaptcha" phrase I am required to type in order to post this comment is, I am not kidding, "give staph".
Really, that's what it says. So I'll type it, but I don't mean it!
hey David, when is your next blog, I'm tired of reading the other frustrated suburban housewive woes or the straight for play/pay guy's adventures, no one can relate to that sort of BS. PLEASE WRITE MORE OFTEN, we love your antics and personal antedoctes about Auntie Mame and the like!!!Blessings to ya! :)
Hi, Dave,
So glad to see you are back to blogging, as I love your wit and visual accompaniments! I discovered your blog through my vanity searches about fillers (I'm a vain 40-something) and became kind of hooked on your writings. Hope you will be adding more and letting your fans know how things are going. Can't wait to read your "feeling sorry for yourself" blog, as I apparently missed that one. ;)
Kate
Dear Blogger,
I cannot image what you must be feeling after everything that you have been through.
I believe that since there is a shortage of HIV/AIDS funding that what the government needs and must do is do a thorough inventory of all the HIV nonprofit organizations that are receiving funding. I guarantee you that after this is done there will be only a few credible and effective organizations that really have the passion and committment to do what ethically is required.
I live in Los Angeles County, and worked for a nonprofit organization that was catering to the transgender women community at risk for HIV. During my time working there, I observed transgender staff promoting themselves on adult websites that are know for prostitution. Other transgender staff were selling illegal hormones to the transgender clients and also referring them to have silicone injections.
After complaining to the superivors and management of this illegal activity that over steps boundaries between clients and staff. The response that I received was that this type of behavior is part of the transgender culture.
I guess they just do not get it!
I am sure that there are agencies that have work ethics and morals and therefore, are the ones that need to continue receiving funding.
I would like to see a news report do a story of this type of unethical and illegal practices.....
25 % is not 0 at the end of the supposed donought hole. where is that coming from I wonder. I don't understand it and have read it everywhere.