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medpundit |
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Saturday, August 31, 2002The plan would allow seniors to gain discounts of 10 to 15 percent by joining drug-card programs approved by Medicare, Scully said. The programs, already sponsored by health care providers, chain drug stores and such groups as AARP, would become more substantial and theoretically could negotiate lower prices because of their increased membership. Currently, many seniors have a number of discount cards, but under the plan a recipient would use only one Medicare-endorsed program at a time. HHS officials estimate that almost 10 million seniors and disabled people would use the program, and would save on average $170 a year. There's no indication that this will be needs-based, but only a discount for all. It's true that there are many elderly who have trouble affording their drugs, but there are also many who can afford to travel the world and have two homes. Why the rest of us should subsidize their drug costs is beyond me. Our budgetary healthcare problems are going to continue to be a problem until we face the fact that not everyone is equally deserving of charity care. As much as I am naturally suspicious of the pharmaceutical industry, I don't think they should be subjected to the same price caps that physicians have been subject to. If making a drug becomes unprofitable because of price caps and widespread discounts, then the drug companies will just stop making it, and we'll have shortages of much needed drugs. Just wait. posted by Sydney on 8/31/2002 08:40:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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