Seniors' drug coverage(plan costs) soaring

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


As the annual open enrollment period for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans gets under way, beneficiaries who have decided their current plan is too expensive are learning the alternatives may not be affordable, either.

A review by staff at the Allegheny County Apprise Program of more than 20 plans offered locally found prices heading up. "We're finding a 20 to 40 percent increase in some of these plans," said lead counselor William McKendree. Apprise is a state-sponsored program that provides free health insurance counseling for Medicare recipients.

In some cases, Mr. McKendree said, it's the premiums that have gone up, in some cases it's the co-payment and sometimes it's both. Every plan the group has looked at, though, has higher rates.

"In essence, the premiums and co-payments have risen far more significantly than normal inflation," he said. At the same time, people on Social Security are not seeing cost-of-living increases.





Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10322/1104193-84.stm

[karynnj]

1. Seantor Kerry is introducing legislation that will protect people from these hikes

Nearly 12 million seniors and people with disabilities would not see an increase in Medicare premiums next year, under legislation that U.S. Sen. John Kerry filed on Wednesday.

Kerry introduced the legislation with Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Robert Casey (D-Penn.) after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services this month announced the Medicare premiums for 2011.

“We have a responsibility to protect all Medicare beneficiaries from unfair premium increases,” Kerry said in a statement. “Every penny counts right now, and twelve million seniors and individuals with disabilities are depending on us to restore fairness to the Medicare system.”

While the majority of Medicare recipients will continue to pay the same $96.40 premium they have paid since 2008, about 27 percent of beneficiaries will see an increase of $225 for the year due to the limitations of “hold-harmless provision” in the current law. Most beneficiaries are protected from premium increases in years when there is no coinciding increase in Social Security benefits.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/20101117kerry_files_bill_to_block_medicare_premium_hikes/

[DURHAM D]

3. I need more info as this makes no sense to me -

"While the majority of Medicare recipients will continue to pay the same $96.40 premium they have paid since 2008, about 27 percent of beneficiaries will see an increase of $225 for the year..."

This refers to just Part B.

2009 enrollees paid $110 a month.
2011 enrollees will pay about $5 more a month according to a report on my tv.

Who is paying $225?

[karynnj]

5. From the Senate record - the group of people affected are defined in the bolded

By Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Casey, and Mr. Bingaman):

S. 3950. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the application of a consistent Medicare part B premium for all Medicare beneficiaries for 2011; to the Committee on Finance.
part. The entire speech is included because it is far clearer than the Boston Herald article. (PS I should have looked here and supported the Herald article, but didn't think it would be in the record yet.)

Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, recently announced that nearly three-quarters of Medicare enrollees will see no increase in their Medicare Part B premium in 2011.

This group of beneficiaries is protected by a ``hold harmless'' provision in the law for years when there is no increase in Social Security checks. As a result, these beneficiaries will continue to pay the same monthly premium of $96.40 that they have paid since 2008.

Unfortunately, 27 percent of Medicare beneficiaries do not receive this ``hold-harmless'' protection and will see their monthly premiums disproportionately increase to $115.40 to shoulder the full load for those beneficiaries who are held harmless. This represents an increase of nearly 19 percent over the past two years with no cost of living adjustment to their retirement pensions or annuities.

This inequity in the law negatively affects new Medicare enrollees, low-income beneficiaries who receive Medicare and Medicaid, higher income enrollees who already pay higher premiums, and seniors who do not receive Social Security, such as federal, state, and local government retirees.

I believe we have a responsibility to protect all Medicare beneficiaries from premium increase, especially during these tough economic times when every penny counts. A premium increase for many seniors would mean choosing between food and medicine and that's a choice they should not have to make.

That is why today I am introducing the Medicare Premium Fairness Act. This legislation would restore fairness to our Medicare system and put money in the pockets of 12 million seniors and individuals with disabilities who desperately need it. It would correct this inequity in the law by applying the ``hold harmless'' provision to all Medicare beneficiaries, so that no enrollee will pay a monthly premium more than $96.40 in 2011.

The Medicare Premium Fairness Act is cosponsored by Senator Dodd and Senator Casey, both of whom have been integral to the development of this legislation. Our legislation is supported by twenty four organizations that represent retirees and senior citizens across the country. I would like to thank all of the number of organizations who have endorsed our legislation today, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFSCME, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, NARFE, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, NCPSSM.

Now is the time to protect all Medicare beneficiaries from substantial and unfair Part B premium increases next year. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Medicare Premium Fairness Act before the end of the year.

[shraby]

8. The hikes Kerry is talking about is not the Medicare Part D

That's Medicare part B. Our premiums for Part D has been hiked from 16.80 per month for each of us to 35.40 per month for each of us..plus the deductible went from 150.00 to 175.00. That's a substantial increase.

[glinda]

12. Part D on my husband's went from 0 to $80/mo. And he fell in the doughnut hole big time.

[karynnj]

21. Sorry - I missed the difference

But, given those numbers, the change Kerry is working to eliminate is a substantial increase as well. (Isn't part D the prescription part?)

[Mona Blue]

11. Say what you want about Senator Kerry

He really does have people's back.

[karynnj]

20. He really does

It still makes me sad that the media distorted who he is enormously in 2004.

[Mimosa]

2. Costs of Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are soaring too. Check the War Clock.

http://www.costofwar.com/

[pscot]

14. Great find

Thanks for the link.

[denverbill]

4. President Obama: Here is the insurance cos thank you for no public option.

And they'll use all that extra premium money on political ads!

How about a public option for Medicare part D?

[DCKit]

6. The drug companies have broken their promise.

I'm not hopeful they will face consequences for this, but it would be nice.

[xchrom]

7. People are taking a hammering. Nt

[ejpoeta]

9. wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that they CAN"T NEGOTIATE PRICES!!

imagine how much more manageable it might be if medicare could negotiate for prices for the most prevalent drugs.

[DURHAM D]

10. Amen - the deal from hell made in the WH during HCR debate.

[glinda]

13. Pharma totally rips people off. Generic for hubby costs the exact same as the regular and costs a

quarter of US cost in Canada. We are so screwed intentionally.

[SoapBox]

18. Ditto...Ditto...DITTO!

Yes!

It is outrageous that the drug prices cannot be negotiated for Medicare.

[pattmarty]

15. People, get you Rx's from Canada. No hassle and up to 75% off..........

...........the fucked up US prices. I am 64 and my wife is 59 and we both have a number of prescriptions we have to have, some rather expensive. Been ordering my shit from Canada since 1997 and haven't had a single problem. Medicare Advantage plans blow and the Bush Rx plan was a costly joke on seniors with the stupidly fucking named "donut hole". I guess the "hole" part was named after the President that passed it. Oh and remember, Obama DID NOT do anything so Americans can get their drugs LEGALLY from another country FOR A LOT FUCKING CHEAPER.

[pattmarty]

19. C-A-N-A-D-A

[ebbie15644]

16. my parents

have noticed the increase. My parents will not go to a specialist and my dad has quit monitoring his diabetes because he can't afford the supplies!

[SoapBox]

17. Exactly. Here is my example (regarding a plan my Mom is in)...

We are in Southern California.

Two years ago, I moved my Mom in with me and yes, she was getting a SUPER
deal with an AARP/Secure Horizons Advantage Plan. Super, especially when
compared to the Providence plan she was on in Oregon (sheesh, I don't know
how people could afford that!)

So this year there were changes...mainly, they dropped all the "goodies" including
transportation services (we never used it but it was nice to know that it was
available in the event that we needed it).

For 2011...the SHOCKING change is in relation to the medication part of the plan.

Previously, when you hit the "donut hole" there was indeed gap coverage for Tier 1 AND Tier 2 drugs.

BUT for 2011, when in the gap, she would pay 100% of the cost of Tier 2 drugs. That could easily
amount to thousands of dollars out of pocket (of her many medications, 4 under this plan would
be labeled as Tier 2...there are NO substitutes for these drugs. Two are drops for glaucoma, 1 is for
RLS and 1 is for pain.)

These shocking changes, that are happening around the country need serious reviewing by regulators.

Insurance Companies + Drug Companies = DEATH PANEL