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brooklynite

(95,007 posts)
Thu Oct 8, 2020, 02:30 PM Oct 2020

Health officials scrambling to produce Trump's 'last-minute' drug cards by Election Day

Source: Politico

Caught by surprise by President Donald Trump’s promise to deliver drug-discount cards to seniors, health officials are scrambling to get the nearly $8 billion plan done by Election Day, according to five officials and draft documents obtained by POLITICO.

The taxpayer-funded plan, which was only announced two weeks ago and is being justified inside the White House and the health department as a test of the Medicare program, is being driven by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, the officials said. The administration is seeking to finalize the plan as soon as Friday and send letters to 39 million Medicare beneficiaries next week, informing seniors of Trump's new effort to lower their drug costs, although many seniors would not receive the actual cards until after the election.

The $200 cards — which would resemble credit cards, would need to be used at pharmacies and could be branded with a reference to Trump himself — would be paid for by tapping Medicare's trust fund.

“The goal is to begin the test by distributing cards starting in October 2020,” according to a draft proposal circulated within the White House last week and obtained by POLITICO.



Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/08/seema-verma-mark-meadows-drug-card-plan-427950

13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Thekaspervote

(32,823 posts)
1. Sounds to me like another way to bankrupt Medicare. Ppl on Medicare are required to have
Thu Oct 8, 2020, 02:32 PM
Oct 2020

Prescription drug coverage

MontanaMama

(23,368 posts)
2. They'll eff it up somehow.
Thu Oct 8, 2020, 02:34 PM
Oct 2020

That or it is a way for MF45 to loot the Meidcare trust fund for his own gain. There will be no accountability.

Tommymac

(7,263 posts)
3. Sorry, Get your Goddamn Hands out of the Medicare Trust Fund.
Thu Oct 8, 2020, 02:35 PM
Oct 2020

I don't trust these thieves one fucking bit.

If the HOR approves and proper oversight is established, then go ahead.

But otherwise this is opening the bank vault for proven thieves and grifters.

SunSeeker

(51,811 posts)
7. Blatant attempt to buy the senior vote for Trump at the expense of Medicare stability.
Thu Oct 8, 2020, 03:03 PM
Oct 2020

This can't be legal.

bluestarone

(17,128 posts)
9. We will NEVER use these cards
Thu Oct 8, 2020, 03:27 PM
Oct 2020

I promise! If they come out of the Medicare trust fund!! FUCK RUMP and his CRONIES!!!

Renew Deal

(81,900 posts)
12. Typical republican patronage.
Thu Oct 8, 2020, 04:58 PM
Oct 2020

They hate government until they can use it to pay bribes for their own personal advantage.

The good news is Trump will lose and then wonder why he gave seniors the money.

dlk

(11,606 posts)
13. Would this be the same Medicare Trust fund that Trump has, in essence, defunded?
Thu Oct 8, 2020, 10:00 PM
Oct 2020

He really is irrational.

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