Reports: Drug prices rise under US Medicare plan

[Tempest]

Prices for some of the most popular medicines used by seniors have jumped an average of 4 percent under the new Medicare drug benefit since it began last month, according to a report released on Tuesday.

The report, released by the Democratic staff of the House of Representatives Government Reform Committee, found prices for Pfizer Inc.'s (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) pain reliever Celebrex, Merck Inc.'s (MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) cholesterol drug Zocor and eight other top drugs offered by 10 major plans rose during the controversial program's first seven weeks.

In some cases, drug prices rose 10 percent, it also found.

http://tinyurl.com/hs9ll

[AzDar]

1. Can we impeach that stupid, cocky, lil' sumbitch NOW???

Pleeeaaaase????

[sarcasmo]

2. Kick and Nom #1 for the real reason this Medicare Bill was passed.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. so. not only do the medicare patients have to pay more than they did

before, everyone gets to! yea! :mad:

[cmdrzog]

4. so the plan was a success?

[Tempest]

7. As far as Bush, the GOP and the Pharmacutical companies are concerned

They're all making money.

[cmdrzog]

8. I think of it as stealing money

along w/ hope in some cases.

[cosmicdot]

13. add the monthly premiums ...

to Big Insurance to pimp the drugs between the pharmacy and Medicare patient ...


... and, 11 Democratic Senators voted FOR this bill (Feinstein: 'it's better than no bill at all'); two Democratic Senators didn't even show up to vote; and, 9 Republican Senators voted AGAINST it ... heaven knows whose closets are so full of skeletons in the House enabling arm-twisting when the gavel went down at 6 a.m. after all-night bullying, and 'a 218 to 216 deficit flipped to a 220 to 215 victory'.


http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=1&vote=00459

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/11/25/elec04.medicare/index.html

It's bizarro world.

[kayice]

15. Exactly. This happened also when the discount drug cards came out too.

I'm disabled and was waiting to qualify for medicare at the time, and I remember some of meds going up anywhere from $25 to $40 a script. This is what everyone payed; most of all the uninsured!

Bush had to know this would happen again on the Medicare Part D plans, so why didn't he do something? Personally, I think he is bed with BigPharma, FDA and the insurance companies.

[Norquist Nemesis]

5. When does the donut hole kick in?

I don't recall all of the specifics about the hole....but IIRC one of the biggest concerns was a period in the middle of the plan where enrollees paid a higher out of pocket cost then were covered again. :shrug:

[Tempest]

6. For most seniors, in the fall just before the election

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/88/99741

[Norquist Nemesis]

12. Thanks! Could be watershed timing. n/t

[underpants]

9. PRAISE SUPPLY SIDE JESUS!!!!

[VegasWolf]

10. Bush Drug Plan - Designed by Big Pharmacia just for your benefit! Right.

:puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke:

[WhiteTara]

11. this is another of those

mission accomplished moments for *

Big pharma made money. So did insurance companies and our grandparents are going broke and dying for lack of their meds.

IMPEACH BUSH AND SEND THEM ALL TO THE HAGUE

[humus]

14. "ask your doctor"

no wonder, their advertizing cost must be through the roof,
nightly news is 90 % sponsored by drug ads/companies.