MY MOTHER JUST HIT THAT SOCSEC "DONUT HOLE" TODAY! GRR!

[Mugsy]

I'm p!ssed.

A mere 9 months into the year and all of my mothers' prescriptions have just DOUBLED in price thanks to the "Medicare donut-hole", which she hit today (September 7th).

She's retired, and her income between SocSec and a tiny pension is a mere $1200 a month. Her expenses were $1800 a month ($200 just for prescriptions) but will now be $2000 a month. Her two most expensive drugs are "name-brand" medications... no generics because they are too new. Between that and a few MINOR doctors visits, she has have maxed out her deductible, and now falls in that "donut hole" region where she must pay 100%.

She has been delving into her savings just to cover the gap between her income and expenses, and she doesn't have a ton of money saved up. It was running out fast at -$400/month before. Now, she'll be loosing $600/month for the next 4 months.

To say I'm a little p!ssed is a bit of an understatement right now! :grr:

[acmavm]

1. Jeez, you can't be talking about that wonderful plan supported

by the republicans and AARP can you?

I guess we're supposed to just put all our old folks out on an ice floe except thanks to global warming we don't have any of those anymore either.

[catmandu57]

7. There's a few hungry polar bears though

who've been cutoff from their food source, great choice die from lack of medicine, die from starvation, or get ate by a hungry bear.

[MADem]

2. Fucking republicans.

Call the drug companies, see if they can help plug the hole...

Not the best response, but the GOP tells your mama "Fuck you, mama..."

They are heartless bastards.

[ThomWV]

3. Do You Know Your Mother's Congerssperson's Phone Number?

Giving them a call will not do a thing for her as an individual, but it just might be helpful in removing this dreadful problem in the future.

Lots of little actions pile up into big results sometimes.

[Midlodemocrat]

4. There are ways around that.

Contact whoever is her insurance provider. Her doctor might also be able to help her with samples, especially if the drugs are new.

Also, there might be a chance that she could be switched to a generic that is the same pharmacologic family.

PM if I can help you. I actually know quite a bit about this.

[LynneSin]

5. Thanks for telling us, now tell this to your local paper

I've warned my parents about it too, fortunately they have a bit of savings but I know many will not make it.

BTW, I have gone back to the doctors and insisted on providing generics when possible. Pharmaceuticals are notorious for reinventing medicines they've had forever because the patent on the current one is soon running and they don't want to lose the revenue. Best example is that purple pill for antacid. When that went OTC, the company that made the pill just redesigned it and renamed it. And it costs a fortune too

Mind you, I'm not a doctor and I have no clue what your mother's issues are but it really doesn't hurt to ask. My prescription plan is kinda sucky where it's discounted instead of co-pay. Doctor prescribed "Brand X, 300mg" of a very well-known drug and when I saw the cost of $40 I was flabbergasted especially since no generics were available. So I researched and found that the drug prescribed to me was just a higher dosage of their original drug which I could simply just take two 150mg in generic form instead of 300mg in brand name.

It's worth a shot to do some research and see if these options are available.

Pharma knows that they lose big dollars when patents run out and drugs can be made as generics. A bit of research might help out some!

[Nimrod2005]

6. Please tell her to tell her friends to vote in November, pick all with a D

and check those names ONLY. If not, there will be many more holes to cover for the next few years.

[partylessinOhio]

8. This is the impostor government's inhumane treatment of our elderly.

I would guess that most don't realize that this is going to happen to them. If they have to be hit, let it happen before election day so they will vote these imposter's out.


Why isn't there a donut hole in the Bush tax cuts for the rich?

[MissB]

16. I love that: Why isn't there a donut hole in the Bush tax cuts

for the rich?

:applause:

[sandnsea]

9. Try an RX program

We had to do this after a bunch of medical stuff just hit us and our combined meds are $400 a month now. It's a pretty painless procedure and takes about 6 weeks total. Here's one web site, although our clinic helped with our paper work. And do have her ask for samples, our doctors have been really good about that and insistent that we never go without medication. I hope your mom's doctors are helpful, I suspect some aren't as I've run across some real jackasses when my son had health problems last year. If they aren't, she might think about finding doctors who are.

http://www.rxassist.org/

[Mugsy]

12. Thanks. Will look into this.

Thanks, I will send her the link.

We are already looking into *all* options, including asking doctors if she can completely forego her most expensive med ("Restasis", for dry eyes from Glaucoma: $98/mth). I'm even looking into surgery for it, which would pay for itself within a year.

Other options like "assistance from the drug companies" is a crap-shoot, and even if she got it, is not a solution that EVERYBODY can rely upon to fill in that "donut hole".

PS: Please no jokes about "Medical MJ". :)

[sandnsea]

13. Oh you're kidding

I used to work for an opthalmologist like 20 years ago. I can't imagine they were prescribing $100 medication for dry eyes, there has to be something cheaper because I know it was very common then and whatever they used can't be under patent still. I think the surgery is a good idea, I remember it being very successful. I know they wait on cataracts, but I think they were willing to do the glaucoma surgery sooner. I think they lasered the tear ducts, if I'm remembering correctly. But as with all surgeries, there's always a risk. I think it's a good idea to look into that.

I also agree that the drug assistance isn't a permanent solution at all, but added it in case you didn't know. We are self-employed so we have some home-office type deductions which puts us under for the drug program purpose, but not anything else. It is easier to get the medication than other assistance programs. We didn't qualify for any of them, in fact the current poverty levels are a joke, $950 for two people, basically homeless. What a friggin' mess this country is.

[Benhurst]

10. Yes, this is a bit irritating; but

I just Praise the Lord! we don't have socialized medicine and am so proud to live in The World's Only Superpower.

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

BushAmerica
And this be our motto: "Root, hog, or die!"

[warrens]

11. She's one of millions

I hope they remember who passed this bill at 3 a.m. after hours of Delay tactics...

[nosmokes]

14. i hit the donut hole a couple of months back.

it's an eye opener ain't it? yeah, don't be shy asking for samples. it is absolutely one of the most fucked up pieces of legislation to ever come out of DC, imo. a donut hole in coverage? specifivally forbidden from negotiating with the pharmas for a bulk discount?!? just WTF are these assholes elected to represent? and yet, you watch and see how many of 'em that voted for this POS go back to their seat after the elections. as far as i'm concerned anyone who voted for this medicare drug bill violated his trust and needs to go.

[godai]

15. Talk to her doctor. Maybe samples or another drug can be used.

What are the 2 expensive drugs? Doctors have samples and she might be able to get some. Check prices from Canada, which should be less.

The lack of price controls on drugs in the US has resulted in ridiculously high prices, affordable only if insurance is covering most of the cost. Hope that you find an alternative, lower cost, to cover the next few months.

[pooja]

17. I don't know what conditions your mother suffers from... but I will tell

you to look for a dr. that uses holitic practices. There are a lot of natural suppliments that can help immensly and eliminate the need for some of these medications.

My husband has a Dr. who pushed the staten Lipitor on him for high cholestorol. He couldn't take it--he shook and everything. She told him to try red-yeast-rice (which acts similar to the staten). He couldn't take this either (but if you are used to statens, it is great alternative to the meds). Anyway, she finally put him on supplements of 1mg folic acid and flax seed (oil or seeds will work). His cholestorol has dropped. He doesn't even register a health alert (flax seed also contains omega-3---very very good for the body).

Another great supplement is coconut oil. It has the good fats that clean out the body, great as a cancer fighter, helps maintain the thyroid, and will help you loose weight.

Drink green tea. It has natural antibiotics. Bone up on calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C... especially during flu season. Avoid if you can viral shots (they often contain mercury--not good for the body--remember science class).

Drink lots of water and teas. They clean you body out so well. Just throw out the soda pop (phosphoric acid is a poison).. if you are craving the fizzle.. get some sparkling water... craving the sweets.. eat sweet fruits.

I never cared much about the "health" of something I put in my body. Especially in college. But having a husband who literally could not take western medicine (it would have put him in the hospital--possibly in a coma), and a small child... I am becoming so particular to what comes into my house and into our bodies.

[catmandu57]

18. Help me out I'm confused

I need to understand this, my mil and sil both had to choose an insurance company for drug coverage, they're both dependent on several drugs every day.
My sil just had a heart attack last weekend so she'll be taking even more now, are they going to be experiencing the same thing? I imagine they must be pretty close if they are.

[godai]

19. Donut hole occurs at $2250 Rx costs

I think I have this correct. Above $2250 drug expenses for the year, coverage stops and the patient pays 100% of drug costs, up to $5100. Above $5100, 95% is covered. The costly part is from $2250-$5100 (donut hole), where the patient pays up to $2850 before the 95% coverage would kick in.

http://www.epocrates.com/resources/medicare-partd/basics.html

For first $250 in drug costs 100% (up to $250) Deductible 0%
For next $2000 in drug costs 25% (up to $500) Co-Insurance 75% (up to $1,500)
For next $2850 in drug costs 100% (up to $2850) Coverage Gap 0%
Thereafter, 5% of drug costs Catastrophic 95% of drug costs