Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage health plan and HR 676

[Bryn]

Four years ago, a group of lawmakers and aides crafted Medicare Part D, the prescription drug program for seniors that has produced billions of dollars of profits for pharmaceutical companies.

How could this have happened? x(

Medicare Advantage – that siphons money from traditional Medicare and is seen by many as part of an effort to privatize Medicare.

Why couldn't just Medicare be used rather than having to add on for Plan D and Advantage to make it complicated and expensive?

HR 676 (Medicare for All) would reduce overall healthcare costs. (Ok, Ok, We'll get there someday.)

I am my mother's sole caretaker due to her dementia.

Mom gets $1093.00 SS check monthly
$96.00 is taken out for Medicare
Plus $53.00 for Plan D (Prescription Drug Program)
Plus $173.00 BlueCross BlueShield as supplement to Medicare
This leaves her $771.00 per month to live on.

Something is wrong here. :shrug: (we're in Arkansas)

[Frances]

1. I think the Republicans passed Medicare Advantage for 2 reasons

1. It gave money to the drug industry who then "kicked back" contributions to the Republicans.

2. It costs 14% more than traditional Medicare and the Republicans hope to bankrupt Medicare and thus end it that way.

[Bryn]

3. Yes, they really screwed up for seniors getting SS checks

leaving them little to live on after working for many years. This isn't right. Plus we now have this crappy HCR bill that will pay more to insurance companies. (of course I support this bill as a start.) Pharma/health insurance companies are already taking too much from seniors' SS checks ... now this. The "kicked back" contributions should be checked.

[FrenchieCat]

2. It also gave us a large piece of the deficit we currently are carrying around.

I had written about this quite some time ago, about how Medicare Part D was the problem we face.

Here it is, written a year ago:
Is Bush's Medicare Plan "D" enacted in 03 part of the problem?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8206100

[Bryn]

4. Thanks for more information

If HCR bill is going to pass (it will) then they should do away with Medicare Plan "D" and Advantages, let seniors pay just for Medicare that includes prescription drugs. I am trying to figure out how to save money for Mom. $322.00 taken out of her $1093.00 monthly for Medicare, Plan D & Advantage is way too much, out of control, really.

What you wrote a year ago is very good. So are other replies. Thanks.

[Frances]

7. Seniors do need help with prescription drugs

but Part D was written to enrich the drug companies. I remember attending a town hall meeting with my Congressional rep who said the Dems wanted to buy the drugs at a discount for volume the way the military does for its members, but the Repubs voted against that.

[Divine Discontent]

6. one of the many weights around the neck that B*sh left our country.

[LiberalFighter]

5. I would check to see if there is a better plan you can purchase for Part D

I believe that once a year changes can be made for Part D.

Personally, I would have absolutely nothing to do with Medicare Advantage.

[Frances]

8. You are right that a person can change plans each fall

However, I was eligible for Part D when it first went into effect. Each year I put my drugs into a program at my pharmacy to see which company gives me the best deal. Unfortunately, what I have noticed is that even though my medications have not changed, the premiums go up every year and so do the co-pays. If we ever get this health bill passed, then I think there should be more oversight over what the insurance companies are doing with Part D.

If Dems stay home in the fall and the Repubs come back into power, then we have no chance of doing this.