Drug Prices Rose After Medicare Law, Group Says

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=5&u=/nm/20040630/ts_nm/health_prices_dc


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prices for medicines most used by older Americans rose steadily after the Bush administration enacted the new Medicare law late last year, the nation's largest group representing the elderly said on Wednesday.

AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, said brand-name drug prices have climbed 3.4 percent -- or three times the rate of inflation -- since December.

The jump was one of the sharpest quarterly spikes since 2000, the report said.

The findings follow another AARP report this year that showed prices for drugs used most by the elderly grew 6.9 percent in 2003. But the increase since President Bush (news - web sites) signed the Medicare bill into law was even sharper, the AARP said on Wednesday.

[feminazi]

1. wow, this is such a surprise...not!

didn't aarp support this legislation?

[Frances]

2. Yes AARP did support Bush's drug plan

So did Diane Feinstein

And I'm still mad at both!

[Mountainman]

3. I don't know what to think about AARP.

I read an article in Business Week from an May issue yesterday and it talked about the new Medicare law. It said that seniors will have to pay a larger portion of their drug costs because of the new law and now we can add on top of that the increase in prices. Also Medicare is prohibited from negotiating better prices with drug companies. And the discount cards don't save money because the drug companies can raise prices to cover what they lose with the discounts.

Basically the Bush administration gave a free gift to the drug companies and stabbed seniors in the back.

Any senior that votes for Bush and is not wealthy is shooting him/herself in the head!

[skjpm]

4. My Mom has been totally screwed by this plan

I handle her medications, so I know the prices. Over the last few years, I've been able to get discounts from the companies directly, which involves a lot of paperwork and is a pain in the neck. But I was able to get her prescriptions down to about $15-20 each, which was incredible! Now, these same companies sell through Medicare-approved cards, and the prescriptions I used to get at the low price are now going be $100 plus dollars!?!?! Thanks for the help, Bush*.

[asjr]

7. I, too, have been able to go directly to the companies

and have saved a lot of money. I am going on the assumption I can still do that. If I can't it will be cheaper to die. I get 3 very expensive rxs that would cost me over $500.00 a month. There is no way I can do that.

[GoldenOldie]

5. Bush Drug Plan????

This was the "drug plan," written by the Pharmaceutical Corporations and passed - unread by our representatives. We have to start asking the hard questions of our elected officials, ie., did you actually read what you voted and signed off on???? I think this is one of the things that angered me the most in Fahrenheit 9/11, the comment by one of the legistatures that they didn't have time to read what they were voting on. I want to know just what their job performance/contract defines? I don't want them coming home each weekend to gladhand thier constituents only to rush back to DC and sign off on laws that have been written by corporations and not read and analyzed by those we elect to represent us and then signed off on without a thought of those it will hurt.

[mbperrin]

6. Gosh, AARP, you mean *Bush

turned out to be an advocate for company profits stead of people!!??

Who'da thunk?

That was why we cancelled our membership immediately - we knew what was going to happen next!

[Justitia]

8. One of the reasons we cancelled our AARP mbrship

How "quaint" of them to report this, when they are singularly responsible for making it happen!

This legislative sham would not have happened, had it not been for the unqualified support of AARP.

I'm outraged over their phony outrage. AARP is a crock.

[cthrumatrix]

9. Kerry should jump on this BS....they knew this would happen ..it was

debated....

[Kelvin Mace]

10. Huh?

AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons

What are they known as now?

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org
Distrusting the Government Since 1984

[Justitia]

13. Amoral Assoc of Republican Pleasers -eom

[denverbill]

11. Duh. Those 'prescription drug cards' aren't free.

If seniors want to save 10-15% on the cost of their drugs, drug prices are going to have to go up so that there will be no net loss to the sellers. There's no such thing as a free lunch after all.

[Kelvin Mace]

14. If I am reading this right...

the drug companies are getting their profit margin enhanced at our expense. We are reimbursing the drug companies for the discounts, then they raise their prices to offset the discount. They still get the same money from seniors AND they collect from the taxpayer.

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org
Distrusting the Government Since 1984

[denverbill]

16. That's pretty much the Republican way.

Take a good idea but expensive idea (helping older people pay for prescription drugs). Then, privatize it so that private companies can get more money from it, even if it makes the plan less effective and more costly.

Net result: Drug companies make more money, and have more to contribute to reelecting Republicans. And older people are no better off.

[Trillo]

20. A ClandestineTax

Every time money changes hands, a tax revenue is generated. If circulation of money can be increased through more hands, tax revenues increase without raising tax rates.


edit: rephrased

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. We got a plan ya see...gonna help seniors ya see...

Another failed plan that screws the common man for the benefit of large corporate interest.

[PROUDNWLIBERAL]

15. Chenney AARP

We dropped our membership in AARP over the Medicare vote! May they rot in hell!

[redqueen]

17. Bush administration ordered Medicare plan cost estimates withheld

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/8164060.htm

Did that just fall down the memory hole? Anyone know if there is any investigation going on?

[Bluebear]

18. AARP go Cheney yourself

[Ivan Zero]

19. Bush was supposed to be safely "re"-elected

before the dust cleared and seniors started figuring out they got the shaft on this thing. All it is, is a corporate giveaway hidden inside a 2004 campaign issue.

"We did something about high drug prices! Vote for us!".

Why, it looks like the Bush cabal has another misunderestimation blowing up in their faces.

[TacticalPeek]

21. Kick. n/t