Song in my Head: Bush and Tony, Bush and Tony, go together like a cart and pony............................Mad Kane

In Season: one lemon of a Medicare bill


Alter-Abled News

Notes on the Atrocities sums up our dismal state health plan which is allowing seriously ill Oregonians to die........

I want to bring a case to your attention with as much sensitivity as I can. Yesterday, a 37-year-old man was removed from a ventilator. The reason this is significant is that he was on the ventilator because the State of Oregon cut his state-paid epilepsy medication in the midst of our budget crisis, sending him into seizure and causing massive brain damage.

From the Alliance for Retired Americans:

Soaring prescription drug prices are forcing many seniors and people with disabilities to make impossible choices—to put their health at risk by skipping prescription medications or cutting back on other necessities.

Have you faced the kinds of problems an affordable, guaranteed Medicare prescription drug benefit could relieve? Send us your story by filling out the form below. Some of the stories will be posted on this site and others will be shared with members of Congress or the press. (link)

The stress of being able to afford numerous prescription drugs is weighing heavily on my thoughts lately. In January 2004, I will not have any medical insurance. If all is well, I won't have any emergency doctor visits, however, the prescription drugs are going to cost a pretty penny. Below I have priced all the prescription drugs I am currently prescribed. I do not take all of these drugs, due to the expense or bad side effects, as I try and limit the wear and tear on my kidneys, but these are all the medications I should be taking to control my health problems. I used an online pharmacy drugstore.com as the source for the cost of these medications. (Note* I used a 30 day supply, my doctor's recommended dosage and using generics as opposed to more expensive brand name drugs)

Fosomax = $64.99
amitriptylene = $7.33
fluoxetine = $101.98
Axert = $99.99
Xalatan = $50.99
Vioxx = $77.99
hydrocodenone = $15.99
Acetosol HC = $10.99
Zyrtec = $58.99

For a grand total of $489.24 per month in prescription drugs. Try and afford that while being on an alter-abled income and no health insurance. Welcome to life in America.

Suburban Guerrilla tackles the AARP and provides ample evidence of their fucked up priorities:

Via Atrios, I was just saying this to a friend today - that the AARP was little more than a front for an insurance business and that's why they support the GOP Medicare bill.

And according to the Oregonian:

Crackdown on Canadian drug imports cuts access

As the Bush administration urges a congressional compromise on prescription drug coverage for senior citizens, the Food and Drug Administration is trying to stop the import of prescription drugs purchased over the Internet.

The editorial concludes.........

When it comes to risk, medicine that you can't afford is hazardous to your health, too.

My point, exactly.

From Science Daily News:

Synthetic Marijuana Reduces Agitation In Patients With Alzheimer’s