Medicare Rx: The going gets tougher

[cosmicdot]

"In a dramatic change, coverage for brand-name drugs in the doughnut hole will all but vanish on Jan. 1 among the “stand-alone” prescription drug plans (PDPs) in which most Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled. In 2008 only one PDP in one state will give any brand coverage in the gap."

who OK'd these changes??
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from AARP Bulletin December 2007:


The Going Gets Tougher

Drug plans change doughnut hole costs and benefits.

By Patricia Barry

As the third year of Medicare prescription drug coverage approaches, changes in costs and benefits for 2008 again mean that beneficiaries will need to compare drug plans to get the best deal and, if appropriate, switch to another plan before open enrollment ends on Dec. 31.

Many Part D plans will raise premiums and copayments, especially for brand-name drugs, next year. But some will lower their charges and/or expand their lists of covered drugs.

Of concern for 2008, however, is the outlook for beneficiaries with moderate to high drug costs who are likely to fall into the gap in coverage known as the doughnut hole. They must pay 100 percent of their costs in the gap, unless they have additional benefits (such as Medicare's Extra Help program for limited-income people, which has no gap). About 3 million beneficiaries are expected to hit the gap in 2007, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. An AARP Bulletin analysis of their options for 2008 has found that:

* Most beneficiaries will have no access to coverage for brand-name drugs in the gap.

* More plans will cover generics in the gap but often with a narrow range of drugs.

* Some plans will charge higher copays for generics in the gap than for the same drugs during the initial coverage period.

~snip~

In a dramatic change, coverage for brand-name drugs in the doughnut hole will all but vanish on Jan. 1 among the “stand-alone” prescription drug plans (PDPs) in which most Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled. In 2008 only one PDP in one state will give any brand coverage in the gap.

“This is bad news for many people taking brand-name drugs for which no generics are available,” says Vicki Gottlich of the Center for Medicare Advocacy in Washington.


~snip~

more ....

http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/medicare/the_going_gets_tougher.html

[yy4me]

1. Figures ! This was built in during the initial stages, I'll bet.

Somehow I don't believe any of part D is meant to work as the planners told us. I gave up on trying to figure out if I could live on Social Security. I went back to work.
Like most old-timers, every bone in my body aches but I'll be damned if I'll give any more of my meager $500.00 (not counting the $93.00 taken for part D) a month for a drug plan that is stacked against us.

I wonder what the decision makers would say if they had to give up part of their money for health care and any drugs they need. This all stinks to high heaven.