Medicare Modernization Act
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To understand why the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 is inherently bad for subscribers, and only benefits drug companies, insurance companies, and doctors, it is first necessary to give an overview of the proposed reforms. The new Medicare reform purport to strengthen the current Medicare program, add important new prescription drug and preventive benefits, and provide extra help to people with low incomes (The Facts). Patients wills till be allowed to keep the doctors, hospitals and pharmacies they are currently using. If they are happy with their current Medicare coverage, they can keep it, or they can choose to enroll in new options for prescription drugs and preventive programs. Drug discount cards will be available, starting in May 2004, and Medicare will contract with private companies to offer new drug discount cards until a Medicare prescription drug benefit begins in 2006. A Medicare approved drug discount card may save from 10 percent to 25 percent on prescription drugs. People can enroll in the drug discount program from May 2004 through December 2005. Medicare will provide a $600 credit for prescription drug purchases in 2004, and up to an additional $600 in 2005 for people with incomes not more than 135 percent of the poverty level ($12,569 for singles, and $16,862 for married individuals) if they do not have other drug coverage (Medicare Prescription). Beginning in 2006, prescription drug benefits will be added to Medicare (The Facts). Plans wil
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hey are seriously flawed, as has been pointed out even by their supporters, such as the American Association of Retired People (AARP), the Heritage Foundation, some House Republicans, and the AFL-CIO (Cohn). While no one got exactly what they wanted, many people corporations got exactly what they wanted, from insurance companies to prescription drug manufacturers. They also happen to be the groups who have spent the most money financing political campaigns and then lobbying members they helped elect. The Medicare compromise pumps $400 billion over ten years into purchasing prescription drugs, and while much of this money is money people would have been spending on drugs on their own anyway, much of it is new money that would not have been spent otherwise (Cohn). This money is more profit for the drug companies. However, because private insurance companies rather than the government will be administering the drug benefit in theory, the government will not have the power to bargain with drug companies the way foreign governments do. In the meantime, drug company lobbyists have gutted a provision that would have legalized limited re-importation of drugs from Canada, where prescriptions are much less expensive. Also eliminate
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1889
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)
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