HSS: Medicare drug premiums remain stable four years in a row (part D costs remain stable)
[font size="+1"]Once more Republican Bullshit is thrown back in their faces by reality[/font] (well, not of course, on ever obsequious (to the GOP) M$M tv).. the GOP Masters of the Big Lie were wailing away saying changes to Medicare Part D pushed by Obama (that enabled the Government to get bulk pricing on prescription drugs) would make Part D costs skyrocket. Well, four years running the Schedule D premiums have remained stable and 2014 is expected to go up a whole $1 from $30 to $31, Oh My!
Of course, the important thing is that Obama called an end the Pharmaceutical industry's windfall from the GOP in the Bush regime, --- that of the Government giving prescription drug availability to Medicare patients - but with the promise (written into the law) to the Pharmaceutical industry that the Government would not negotiate quantity pricing for the millions of prescriptions paid for by Medicare. (remember when the GOPers said the Government should be run like a business. well, there is no business in the WORLD that would agreee to pay one-off Retail prices for items they were buying in enormous quantitities.)
THe other thing of even greater importance is that people who scrimped on medications (and got sicker as a result) have now been able to take the medications in the proper amounts and thus are healthier. This has an additional benefit that it will lead to significant savings in less Hospital admissions which make the cost of brand name prescription drugs look like a pittance by comparison.
Oh, and there's the other pay-off: Medicare patients will be healthier due to more of them getting the amount of medications their doctor's prescribed and fewer of them not only going into the hospital more but also not dieing as soon. That's kindof a nice bennie too.
http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/30/hss-medicare-drug-premiums-remain-stable-four-years-in-a-row/
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released data showing that the average premium for a basic prescription drug plan in 2014 is projected to remain stable, at an estimated $31 per month.
This news comes as seniors and people with disabilities continue to save money on out of pocket drug costs. Yesterday, HHS announced that more than 6.6 million people with Medicare have saved over $7 billion on prescription drugs as a result of the Affordable Care Act, [font color="blue" size="+1"]an average of $1,061 per beneficiary[/font]. The Affordable Care Act closes the donut hole over time.
“Seniors are benefiting from improved benefits and low premiums, thanks to a competitive and transparent marketplace for Medicare drug plans,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
For the fourth straight year, the average Medicare Part D monthly premium will remain steady, and is projected to be $31. For the last three years – for plan years 2011, 2012, and 2013 – the average premium was projected to be $30. Today’s projection for the average premium for 2014 is based on bids submitted by drug and health plans for basic drug coverage during the 2014 benefit year, and calculated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of the Actuary.
(more)
Medicare premiums to remain stable in 2014
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/07/30/partd-premiums-medicare/2600165/
WASHINGTON — Medicare Part D premiums will average about $31 in 2014 — up from $30 for the past three years.
The Part D deductible will fall from $325 to $310 in 2014.
"There is continued very strong competition within the Part D plan," said Jonathan Blum, deputy administrator and director for the Center of Medicare. When the coverage gap program began, "there was lots of concern that filling in the doughnut hole would cause Part D costs to go up."
Instead, Blum said a transparent bidding process and competition among private insurers participating in the program kept costs low.
This follows news that more than 6.6 million people with Medicare have saved more than $7 billion on prescription drugs as a result of the gap coverage, or an average of $1,061 per beneficiary. The administration also announced this week that [font color="blue" size="+1"]Medicare spending was the lowest it had been in 50 years[/font].
(more)
= new reply since forum marked as read
The program is only 48 years old even (started in 1965).
I thought maybe they were talking about per capita amounts, but that doesn't work either...
Good question to submit to HHS....
