OK how many of you think that Medicare plan D is a good idea?

Question

From what I can tell, the only people making money off of this are the drug & insurance companies. The elderly have worked their whole lives contributing to SSI only to have their benefits reduced if not cut. People who are struggling to make ends meet also have to pay ridiculous amounts of money for this plan and it does not cover much. I would love to hear from everyone about this, but espicially Republicans, do you think this is a good or bad idea? For all the smart ***** out there, you're all going to be old one day. What do you think?

Where are all the Republicans????

Answer 1

Is Medicare Part D a good idea? It depends.

For years many seniors complained about the cost of prescription drugs. The financial pain many seniors experienced was real.

The folks in Washington did listen--the politicians, insurance and drug companies--got together sometime in 2003 and cut a deal and made a plan. Yes, the 1000-page-plus bill was kept away from the public's eyes in a restricted location on Capitol Hill for a couple of weeks until it was quickly brought to a vote in December 2003. As a regular viewer of C-SPAN's Washington Journal during this time, I know that the public discussion on this plan was practically non-existent. (There was a lot of talk about the Iraq war, though.)

Yes, there were discrepancies in the Congresional estimates of how much this legislation was going to cost taxpayers. Yes, the bill was passed in the House early one Saturday morning only after the time for voting--usually kept open for 20 minutes--was extended for hours. Yes, the majority of those who voted for the bill were Republicans--but lots of Democrats supported this legislation, too!

Then we had a law that the powers in Washington put on the "fast track." Of course, this caused a mulitiplicity of implementation problems. Remember the big money spent on t.v. and radio ads, the large advertisements that contained inaccurate information in national publications like Parade magazine? Remember the three or four big Medicare buses that government officials show off at public events--and use air transportation to get to these buses? Remember the Medicare.gov enrollment website that often did not work--and when it did, it provided seniors inaccurate information about available plans? And let's think about the fact that most Medicare beneficiaries seeking information about Medicare Part D are not the most computer saavy population group--in fact, most do not even know how to turn on a computer.

And then there is the fact that the new benefit, when first rolled out, brazenly favored insurance companies over the individual beneficiary. What kind of prescription drug insurance is it if the company can change the drug formulary--the drugs they will pay for--at any time, but a beneficiary can't change the plan when it does not pay for the drugs they need and were once told would be covered by the company?

And while our government spent millions on buses, advertising, web-sites and call centers pushing beneficiaries to enroll in a benefit that was complicated and difficult to understand, absolutely inadequate funding was provided to agencies and organizations that provided what most seniors needed to make the best decision about the new benefit--easy to understand one-on-one enrollment assistance from someone who was not "selling" a plan or a policy.

National groups that supported the Medicare Modernization Act--the legislation creating Medicare Part D--said that Medicare Part D legislation was "a good first step." Others ascribing to the philosophy "If you can't do something right the first time, when will you find the time to fix it?" remain unconvinced.

One thing that can be said about Medicare Part D is that those seniors with the lowest incomes and the highest drug costs get some relief. And those who enroll and are hit with catastrophic health problems that require expensive drugs also benefit.

It's an election year. On days when I am most cynical, Medicare Part D reminds me that our system of government is the best that money can buy. On other days I think that Medicare Part D is a result of a plague of "attention deficit disorder" raging through our country. The price of citizenship is to "pay attention" and to help others pay attention to what our lawmakers are doing, too.

Answer 2

There SSI was not reduced, they're paying for an optional insurance supplement. When you pay more out of your pocket for prescriptions then you would having it deducted from your SSI for the insurance, it's a good plan for you and saves you money.

Social Security is not a savings account. You don't pay in and then get some back. People working now are giving a portion of their pay to the elderly on social security right now.

Answer 3

I have Medicare D and can't say I like it but compared to nothing it is OK. Since they only pay for generic ($7.00), I still have 3 meds that cost $30.00 a month and one that cost $60.00 a month. But if I also had to pay for the 6 that only cost $7.00 I don't think I could make it. Question is who do we really blame Medicare or the Drug companies. I read an article last week that the cost of making and the sale price is about 500% different or more. Baby Boomers are having it rough but there are more of us and we were paying lower taxes and now everything is doubled and tripled so who can we blame but ourselves. Cost of living raises, (that we all fought so hard for) raise the cost of living.

Answer 4

It is some of the awful legislation written in secret with that noted traitor, Cheyney, and it has made senior's lives hell.

Answer 5

yes i agree with you . we need a national health care .system that work for the peoples not big business

Answer 6

At least there is something out there to help these people. It could be worse.

Answer 7

think it's good, I"m Canadian, don't know any other system