Ronni Bennett of Timegoesby.com suggested today that we concentrate on one issue of the upcoming presidential election and post about it on our blogs. I chose healthcare. One aspect in particular of healthcare needs careful attention by our next president and the next congress.
The Medicare prescription drug plan needs overhauling. The donut hole is reached too soon and is too costly for many elders who must take multiple prescription drugs.
Congress caved in to the big drug and insurance companies when the Prescription Drug Plan was created. Barack Obama has good information on his web site on plans to remedy this error. John McCain gives only a passing nod to the subject.
Barack Obama:
"Lower prescription drug costs. The second-fastest growing type of health expenses is prescription drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are selling the exact same drugs in Europe and Canada but charging Americans more than double the price. Obama will allow Americans to buy their medicines from other developed countries if the drugs are safe and prices are lower outside the U.S. Obama will also repeal the ban that prevents the government from negotiating with drug companies, which could result in savings as high as $30 billion. Finally, Obama will work to increase the use of generic drugs in Medicare, Medicaid, and FEHBP and prohibit big name drug companies from keeping generics out of markets."
John McCain
"CHEAPER DRUGS: Lowering Drug Prices. John McCain will look to bring greater competition to our drug markets through safe re-importation of drugs and faster introduction of generic drugs."
14 comments:
Ronni has a great idea. By the way, the "donut hole" is just ridiculous. If your prescription plan won't cover you after a certain dollar amount is used, they shouldn't ask you to pay your premium during that period, either. Go get 'em, Chancy. I'm going to pick a subject, too, I think.
I agree Betty that the donut hole is just plain ridiculous-----unless you are an insurance company or a drug company,,,:(
I've just learned about that donut hole; mr kenju is newly in it and his first RX was $147 (instead of $4). OUCH!!
Kenju-- Yes that hurts.
I am not so convinced that buying prescription drugs from other countries will work, though I find the other suggestions of Obama's good. Searching for other, less expensive, foreign drugs would mean that you would have to basically have to get your doctor's assurance that the chemical ingredients are comparable to those he is prescribing from US pharmaceutical companies. And which doctor is going to do that?
Sometimes "less is more". McCain's statement doesn't contain a lot of words, but is valid as well as succinct.
One of the many states in which I've lived (don't ask which--I no longer recall) had a state law that mandated that liquor could be priced no higher within the state than the lowest price that was charged in any of the states. (I think this applied to distributors.) Could we have a national law that said that any pharmaceutical company that sold drugs within the US could charge no more than the least that is charged outside the US? (Then, see if the distribution system kept their costs down, to match!)
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You hit the nail on the head. What a fine idea.
Chancy, you are writing about my soapbox issue. I have been mandating reform of our medical system for more years than I can remember. Please keep up the good work and keep spreading the truth.
We are self-employed and uninsured. Last week we received a quote for a $5,000 deductible, which would take a year to kick in, and it was $1100 a month. It would not cover our numerous pre-existing conditions or our medications. I am anxious to see changes in the healthcare system and will follow your blog for information. Thanks for the research.
You are sooooooo right Chancy!!! It's a disaster! I am blessed to live in Ohio in this way, We have program that helps with prescription costs and it's really quite generous but with rising prices, it's still pretty awful. My thyroid meds went up seven dollars in one month including the discount.
Drugs only go to generic when the time time is up for exclusivity for the original. That's usually 7 years. What McCain said doesn't say much. 7 years is 7 years!
I just bought two prescribed teeny bottles of eye drops and almost passed out when I saw the bill. It was $134.92 and not covered by any type of insurance.
I pray that Obama gets in and that he will actually DO SOMETHING for us.
PS: I looked up the price on the Internet and the Canadian price was $29 per bottle !!!
Sorry for my post .Where i can watch more info about?
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