Song in my head: Bomb..bomb..bomb......bomb..bomb..Iran..............................Gavin


Medicareless....

Hows it working? The new Medicare drug plan...well patients and pharmacists are still struggling. From Newsday.....

Since the Medicare plan began on Jan. 1, prescription costs and availability is causing a pain in the wallet for many

The big question is what political liability will the Republican Party pay in November 2006 from pissed off Medicare recipients. From the Long Term Care Weblog..

While this Los Angeles Times article (via the Elder Law Prof Blog) primarily addresses the political fallout that has occurred because of problems with Medicare's new prescription drug program, it also points to some changes that may be on the horizon for Part D and the government's role in providing drug coverage

Oregon's Republican Senator Gordon Smith flip flops on his Medicare voting record. Check this story out from BlueOregon...

On February 28, newspapers everywhere reported that Gordon Smith had broken with his party over the new Medicare prescription drug program. As usual, they tagged him with the "moderate Republican" label.

Frank Kaiser, at SuddenlySenior.com reports 35 to 75 emails a day from seniors complaining about the new drug plan. Here's a little snip, but read it all for a great synopsis from a senior who understands the system. LINK

Then Congress lied to us. The president lied to us. AARP lied to us. Everyone in Washington told us this was best benefit since free air.These folks must believe we seniors are dumber than dust bunnies.But you know, we're not as dumb as we are passive. And although we knew we were getting screwed — that under Plan D the entire country (our children, grandchildren, even the unborn) is getting fleeced to tune of trillions of dollars — we would have gone along with the program, donut hole and all, if the insurance companies hadn't gotten so blinded by greed that they resisted giving back anything at all in return.

No More Mister Nice Blog gives yet another challenge coming up for seniors and later-abled, the end of transitional state run programs initiated during the messy implementation of the drug plan.

USA Today notes that seniors and their families will soon have yet another reason to hate Bush and the Republicans:

Medicare drug plan gaps may hit soon

... A special 90-day transition period, set by Medicare to prevent beneficiaries from losing any drug coverage, ends April 1. Private insurance plans can then stop covering drugs they don't usually pay for. Most of the 36 states that stepped in on an emergency basis to help low-income beneficiaries also will stop paying.

Senator Edward Kennedy has a plan to fix the Medicare Disaster, LINK

Nearly half of Oregon's eligible Medicare recipients have NOT signed up for the drug plan. LINK