Pharmaceutical Companies In Bed with the U.S. Government

They Get Richer while Many Older Americans Get Sicker

The extent of the corruptness of the those who make the medications which are supposed to keep us healthy is well concealed.

Who pays for this?

You and I do. But, I'm sure that you knew that.

Let's take the cost of our little pills and compare it to the cost of the same prescriptions in Canada.

In Canada, the government sets the price which is much, much cheaper than the price Americans pay for the same medication even including the cost of the packaging and shipping. Of course if you happen to have a health plan at work in which the employer pays a good part of the cost, this does not apply. However more and more companies are cutting these benefits out of their contacts.

The U.S. government does nothing. The president, the Senate, the Representatives do absolutely nothing to change this.

In fact, under the plan " D " program for seniors, the government willingly agreed to insert a clause which expressly forbids the government to negotiate better prices from the pharmaceutical companies.

Does plan " D " save any money for the seniors? Some but not very much. In 2007, I used up all the help I was going to get for the year, by May, 2007. So, I did save some but the premiums for the plan were over $ 350. for the year.

For 2007, the plan states, that every enrollee has an initial coverage allowance of $ 2400. before the coverage gap is reached. ( More of this coverage gap ) later ) The coverage allowance sounds good until one realizes that this figure includes the amount the enrollee pays PLUS the amount the government plan pays ( At the high prices ) So to make it clear, as soon as I had paid from my pocket, $ 853., not counting the premium, plan D was over for the year. Including the premium, my cost was $ 1003. for 4 ½ months. Medicare says they paid $ another 1547. I can't say for sure but I have the feeling they actually paid the supplier
considerably less. The negotiated price referred to above, for their share, is not at all realistic If it would be true, it is no wonder Medicare is going broke. One example:
one medication which I can buy for under $ 100. at the neighborhood pharmacy is shown to be $179. ( my share plus medicare's share ) Canada's cost including shipping - $ 41.00

Hope this is not too confusing. I will go further on this subject in my next post.

A.B.

Its getting worse during November open enrollments. I have to completly go through plans again because currant plan has removed a number of my medications from their list. So what they paid for last year they will not pay for next year. Also note increase for next year in program cost.
Unlike when I was employed the best plan was negotiated for here today I sit dazed and confused.
Now please note the medications I take keep me alive. If not taken I would die or be hospitalized with in twoo weeks.

This comes from our government's history of making piece-meal patches to a Health
system that has none of the characteristics of a System...Even so the Medicare System
is more effective and efficient than large for-profit systems...The prescription drug
benefit Democrats enabled the Republicans to pass is a joke and soon to be superceded with
real universal health care...if there is any justice left in the world...

For 2008, Plan D prices are higher. Monthly premiums are higher. Many prescription prices are higher.

The original Medicare plan was simple and sweet.

Because of the politics played by both Democrats and Republicans, ( each side wanted to be able to claim they were the first to help pay for medications, the bill they passed is so convoluted and confusing, to say nothing of being expensive ) what we have ended up with is a plan which helps the American people a little and the pharmaceutical companies a lot )

As has been stated by others many times, the best way for health plans to work is to have ALL Americans including
the Senate and the House of Reps. on the Same plan.

AARP recommends that you call your Senator and state that you support AARP's position on keeping Plan D premiums affordable .

Use the following phone No. - 1 888 839 9989.

A.B.