Legislators Aim To Close Gap For Medicare Coverage
Posted on: Saturday, 24 October 2009, 15:50 CDT
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing a healthcare reform bill that aims to close the so-called doughnut hole gap in Medicare drug coverage.
In its current state, the coverage gap occurs after $2,700 is spent on Medicare drug coverage. The coverage continues once costs reach $6,154, according to Reuters.
Pelosi said the new bill aims to close that gap by lowering the cost of prescription drugs for as many as 4 million on people on Medicare next year.
"As of January 1, 2010, our legislation will give a 50 percent discount for brand-name drugs to recipients in the doughnut hole, and it will reduce the size of the doughnut hole by $500," said Pelosi.
The previous bill had aimed to close the gap in January 2011.
Additionally, the new draft of the bill would close the gap in prescription drug coverage within 10 years, as opposed to 15 years in the first bill.
But support for the new bill from elderly patients on Medicare is wavering. Such support is crucial for healthcare reform.
Legislators believe one way to regain elderly support would be to close the doughnut hole gap, which has been noted as a top priority for the AARP.
But Republicans say the proposed cuts would only reduce benefits of Medicare programs.
"Millions and millions of dollars in ads and lobbying are being pumped out to scare and confuse the public about health reform, all designed to stop the legislation," Reuters quoted House Democratic Whip James Clyburn.
"Their top target: seniors and their beloved Medicare program."
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On the Net:
Source: RedOrbit Staff & Wire Reports
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User Comments (5)
| 5. |
Posted by Commander on 10/25/2009, 22:30 Obama and the Democrat's national health care "initiative" removes $500 billion dollars of the Medicare program senior workers have paid into all their lives. Plugging the so-called Medicare "gap" by the same people who are planning to chop Medicare in half in order to launch government run health care is no more than a diversion and an attempt to convince elderly Americans to go along with their own demise. BTW, AARP is little more than a subsidiary of the Democrat Party and has been for decades. |
| 4. |
Posted by KATHRYN STABLES on 10/24/2009, 18:24 NO ONE GIVES A **** WHAT I SAY THAT IS FINE BUT I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY HELPED SOMEONE AT LEAST i HOPE I COULD. |
| 3. |
Posted by KATHRYN STABLES on 10/24/2009, 18:21 HURRICANE COMES THEY GIVE YOU INSTRUITIONS BUT NO ONE GIVES YOU FLU INSTRUCTIONS |
| 2. |
Posted by KIKKIKAT on 10/24/2009, 18:16 i THINK GOV'T SHOULD HAVE GIVEN A WHAT TO DO LIST FOR PEEPS AT HOME AND TRY IT ANTIBIOC;T WON'T WORK |
| 1. |
Posted by KATHRYN STABLES on 10/24/2009, 18:13 IAM 72 HUBBY 74 WE ARE THE BOOMER'S GRAND PARENTS, WE PAID MOST OF THE MONEY INTO SOCIAL SECURITY AND NOW THE DEMS ARE TRYING TO WIPE US OUT THEY HAVE BORROWED AGAINST OUR MO AND NOW THEY WANT TO TAKE AWAY SO UN FAIR BUT YOU BOOMERS WILL NOT GET WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY YOURS B/C NOW YOR GRANDS WILL HAVE TO SPEND ALL MONEY ON THEIR HEALTH SO THEY ARE SHREWING YOU OUR LOVES THAT WE WANTED TO INHEIRIT OUR MO. |
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