WP: Medicare Prepares to Cut the Cards

[DeepModem Mom]

Medicare Prepares To Cut the Cards
U.S. Issues Rules for Drug Discounts


The Bush administration yesterday released rules for its drug discount card, taking the first step in a two-year process to deliver broader prescription coverage to 41 million Medicare recipients.

And behind the scenes, the administration and private insurers started work on implementing the byzantine, 600-plus-page law.

Although the drug benefit will not be available until 2006, many businesses will begin reaping financial benefits within a few months. As early as March, health maintenance organizations that offer Medicare plans (dubbed Medicare Plus Choice) will be eligible for up to $1.3 billion in higher payments and physicians will receive a 1.5 percent increase in reimbursement rates.

Opponents such as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) denounced the move as a "sweet deal" for insurers and a "raw deal for the elderly."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54452-2003Dec10.html

[jamesinca]

1. Kennedy summed it up

It is a sweet deal for the drug compaies and a raw deal for the elderly. Here is the thing that really chaps my hide, HMO patients with cardiac problems have an 85% mortality rate! That is unexcusable, that is what this so called benifit will put people into. Not all health insurance is bad, but HMO's are the gold standard of malfeasance. I personally believe they are out to malign their clients.

[cthrumatrix]

2. a 15% can be had by joing most clubs....this is NOT a deal

but then again...this is all for show...and all for dough (pharma's and insurers)