The right way to bring down drug prices Posted
by Liz at 11/30/06 06:38 PM
Check out this great post from the Drum Major Institute on lowering prescription drug prices. Elana Levin talks about the whole enchilada here--from Part D negotiation to Maine's Rx program. And they are hosting an event on December 11th in NYC on this very topic...
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Posted by Dean at 12/23/06 12:24 AM
I saw a quote that if Medicare negotiated with drug companies it would save $60 billion. It also touted the "success" of the Veterans Admin negotiated rates with drug co's. Can someone then, answer this? Where would the $60 billion come from? If I am a drug company, I've got to make my money somewhere. If I give Medicare a $60 billion discount, guess what, EVERYONE else (those not on Medicare) will pay $60 billion more. So, not only are taxpayers paying 75% of the cost of the Rx plan (the premium seniors pay represents only 25% of the cost of the insurance), but now we will have to significantly more for our drugs to help SUBSIDIZE drug costs for seniors. It is called "cost shifting" and it occurs whenever a provider of a service provides a discount to one group...it shifts the costs somewhere else. It happens in health care all the time. I like seniors, I hope to be one some day, but this give away to seniors is ridiculous. As for the "success" of the VA. If the VA is so great, why do so many people who qualify for VA benefits still buy a Medicare Rx plan? Because the VA severly limits the drugs they cover. Why? Because if the VA can't get a good negotiated price, they simply don't cover it, limiting coverage. Wake up seniors. While some of you may get lower drug costs at everyone elses expense (i.e taxpayers), many of you will lose coverage for your med as it ends up being excluded from coverage. Why can't politicians and so called "advocates" out there provide all the facts? I guess they just don't play well in a sound bite. It is easier to paint insurance companies, drug makers, or other politicians as greedy than to address the facts.
