Medicare Modernization Act

[gerinurse10]

Any thoughts out there on this drug plan. I am writing a paper on this act and would like to hear from all of you who are involved in educating your patients, staff etc. Pros and cons. Do you know anyone who is using the transition cards? Thanks for any input.

[steelcityrn, RN]

Are you talking about the ten thousand drug discount cards the gov dished out last year? They are very confusing to the elderly. Or were you speaking of the new medicare cuts they want to impose next year?

[gerinurse10]

If we are talking about the same cards then yes. In 2003 Bush signed a bill for a reform on Medicare in regards to assisting with prescription drugs for the elderly and disabled. Basically what is going to happen is that Medicare beneficiarys will be able to sign up with a pharmaceutical co. (drug plan) and pay a monthly premium of approx. $30. Their medications will be cheaper by 10 - 25% on this plan. The key is to find the right drug co with the cheapest quote which I found that www.cms.org (Medicare site) will help people with. I am hoping to gather enough info to make this a simple explanation to all my geriatric patients. This is my understanding of this bill, but of course I am still researching and getting ready to plug it all into my research paper.

[elkpark]

I haven't heard anyone other than a Shrub administration flack say anything good about the program. From what I've read, IMO, it's nothing but a big give-away to the big pharmaceutical and insurance companies.