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Medical Forum / General / Pharmacy / May 2006Medicare Rx drug plan
I was talking to my local Wal-Mart Pharmacist today. He said he noticed that since people have the new Medicare Rx cards that doctors are prescribing expensive medication for them that they could otherwise not afford to purchase. He said as soon as the doctors find out that the patient has a Rx card that the doctor says "since you don't have to pay for it", "I want to try out this new medication." He said a lot of people purchased the cheapest Medicare plan they could and there is no coverage for the "donut hole". He said if you think you have problems now just wait until these people are asked to pay 400 to $500 a month for their Rxs. It is sure not like the $3 co-payment that a patient pays if he has Mississippi Medicaid. Then a lot of plans want to tell people that the drugs they have been paying for since January will be dropped from the formulary. Did someone pass or propose some legislation to keep the insurance companies from dropping medications from the formulary that were originally covered when the patient signed up? On 5/16/06 3:20 PM, in article lesag.47395$Kn4.25463@bignews2.bellsouth.net, > I was talking to my local Wal-Mart Pharmacist today. He said he noticed > that since people have the new Medicare Rx cards that doctors are [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > from dropping medications from the formulary that were originally covered > when the patient signed up? I reluctantly signed up with the cheapest plan I could get, Humana at about $5.40/month. That way, I will not be hit with the 1%/month penalty that is based, not upon the $5.40, but upon the much higher AVERAGE premium of plans in my area. I plan to get most of my drugs from Canada. At my current consumption level, I will probably end up with about the same out of pocket cost or less than under the plan. I am primarily interested in catastrophic coverage and am lucky enough to be able to take care of my deductibles and co-payments. I would have been happy with a plan that would cover my potential high costs if I ever needed them. This Bush drug plan is an outrage. It is a sop to the big drug companies and the insurance companies. I am sorry for the independent pharmacist and even some of the large chains. By favoring the large companies, these pharmacists are put into a lousy competitive situation. Bill -- Ferme le Bush >I reluctantly signed up with the cheapest plan I could get, Humana at about >$5.40/month. That way, I will not be hit with the 1%/month penalty that is [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >-- Ferme le Bush ================================================================ I am a retired (semi) Pharmacist aged 63, and on Social Security...not yet eligible for Medicare ... and have Health and Rx coverage thru my retired wives employer.. which will end the Month she turns 65 (she is my age) That Said.... I definitely do not think the current plan is an Outrage... far from it... BUT I do think it is overly complicated for anyone to sift thru the plans that are offered in each State..(47 are offered in my home State) . All of which at least meet the minimum Federal requirements. And all but one locally Most offer much more... What I do not like is the fact that all Rx Drugs are not covered... at least all the plans do cover "some" drugs" in each therapeutic class.. I honestly saw no reason for extending the deadline ...anyone could have made the same choice you did and picked the cheapest plan now to avoid any penalty especially since in November you can switch again... As far as purchasing drugs from Canada... That's a personal sore point... I do not blame anyone from using Canadian Pharmacies to save money... BUT the fact is Canada has Price Controls ... The US could just as easily set price controls IF they wanted too... I spend close to $300.00 a month for health Insurance... and still spend $400 a month on Co pays for my own medications...Plus 10 percent co-pays for office visits and Hospital charges... ($3,500 co pay in March for a short hospital "visit".. I can afford (at least for now) my health care expenses.. but I sure am worried about just how long I can continue to do so... Just my opinion... Bob G. . Bob, the (semi) retired pharmacist wrote >I can afford (at least for now) >my health care expenses.. but >I sure am worried about >just how long I can continue >to do so... >Just my opinion... I see an attitude like that among some retail pharmacists. Okay, at least one guy I know for sure. Sort of hypocritical: All these welfare patients and unisured patients: LET THEM WORK. Suddenly when the shoe is on the other foot, and THEY have health care expenses, THEY deserve to have their expenses paid. Sometimes I think ALL health care should be cash-and -carry. [Okay Bob, I'm not saying you're in this category.] >I see an attitude like that among some retail pharmacists. Okay, at >least one guy I know for sure. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >[Okay Bob, I'm not saying you're in this category.] Thanks.... I'm glad you did not include me ...LOL Bob |
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