Democrats vow to close Medicare 'doughnut hole'

[babylonsister]

Democrats vow to close Medicare 'doughnut hole'

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON (AP) -- It's an annual ordeal for many seniors living on a budget. Medicare's coverage gap for prescription drugs - $3,610 next year - has steadily gotten bigger since the benefit's inception. But if Democrats have their way on health care overhaul, the dreaded "doughnut hole" will shrink by $500 right away and go away altogether by 2019.

With the elderly worried that Medicare cuts in the health care bill will put the quality of their own care in jeopardy, Democrats belatedly are scrambling to convince them otherwise. Lawmakers are eager to make amends with a pivotal political constituency ahead of next year's midterm elections.

Senate Democratic leaders this week joined their House counterparts in vowing to close the coverage gap if President Barack Obama's health care remake passes.

"I personally am committed to fully closing the doughnut hole once and for all," Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said on the Senate floor. "The legislation we will send to President Obama for signature will make good on his promise, and ours, to forever end this indefensible injustice for America's seniors."

Lawmakers say they expect the pharmaceutical industry to pick up the cost, adding at least $20 billion more to the $80 billion the companies have pledged toward the overhaul. Drugmakers have separately offered a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs in the coverage gap, already incorporated in the legislation.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HEALTH_CARE_COVERAGE_GAP?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. Harry Reid doesn't care about the "indefensible injustice" of annual caps.

There's a LOT of "indefensible injustices" I could mention.

But, that being said, this is a good thing.

[midnight]

2. Maybe, but the Senate is counting on Pharmacy. to swallow costs.

Lawmakers say they expect the pharmaceutical industry to pick up the cost, adding at least $20 billion more to the $80 billion the companies have pledged toward the overhaul. Drugmakers have separately offered a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs in the coverage gap, already incorporated in the legislation.
Several senators said the expectation that the industry would ante up more was a factor this week when the Senate killed an effort to allow consumer access to low-cost prescriptions from abroad. Following the Obama administration's lead, more than a dozen Democrats who previously had backed drug imports switched sides on the vote.
Whether the gambit will work with seniors is another matter. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091217/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_coverage_gap

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. Well, that explains the bizarre voting on the drug re-importation bill

"Following the Obama's administration lead" they killed that off.

Personally, I think that would have been more cost effective and provided savings to more people - not just seniors in the donut hole. Once again, I think the President and Congress sided with Pharma over the benefit of the people.

[RC]

4. Just close this winfall for the drug compaines now!

What happened to "We the people..."?

[babylonsister]

5. That woul be lovely, but did you see the vote on this? Lots of Dems

weren't willing to do that; I still don't understand why, but there you have it.

[Vinca]

6. They just had an opportunity to do much more than eliminate

the doughnut hole and they voted it down. Grandma wouldn't be having such a hard time if the drugs weren't 10 times what every other country pays in the first place.

[SoCalDem]

7. so 2019, is when the actuarial tables say most of the pre-boomers and older boomers

may be dead?..and perhaps the rest of the boomers will be broke & on medicaid?

:evilgrin: