Medicare Patients Still Paying Very High Prices for Medication

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Many of our nations eldery, and disabled are paying half, and sometimes more than half of their income on medications.

My aunt is paying over 50% of her SSI for medication. She is also on medicare. She signed up for the recent changes in Medicare. The insurance takes $21.00/month from her SSI, and will not pay anything for her medication. The doctors tell her they can't change her medication to something that costs less. So, she is taking half doses to cut costs. The good thing about this? She says she feels better taking half doses.

In my church, some elderly and disabled signed up for the Medicare change, some did not. Most are not seeing any change in their payments for medication, but the insurance compaines are collecting their $21.00/mo, for those who signed up.

The Whitehouse is going to do further cuts in Medicare & disability. It will be interesting to see how this country will fair when the H5N1 hits.

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Many of our nations eldery, and disabled are paying half, and sometimes more than half of their income on medications.

My aunt is paying over 50% of her SSI for medication. She is also on medicare. She signed up for the recent changes in Medicare. The insurance takes $21.00/month from her SSI, and will not pay anything for her medication. The doctors tell her they can't change her medication to something that costs less. So, she is taking half doses to cut costs. The good thing about this? She says she feels better taking half doses.

In my church, some elderly and disabled signed up for the Medicare change, some did not. Most are not seeing any change in their payments for medication, but the insurance compaines are collecting their $21.00/mo, for those who signed up.

The Whitehouse is going to do further cuts in Medicare & disability. It will be interesting to see how this country will fair when the H5N1 hits.

I am not surprised at anything. Part D is a big give a way to the drug companies. I haven't pick out a provider yet but have narrowed it down to two. I am waiting to see what happens during the month of March to see how things turn out. My medications, which I pay the total cost of, have not gone up.

Grannynurse:balloons:

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I am not surprised at anything. Part D is a big give a way to the drug companies. I haven't pick out a provider yet but have narrowed it down to two. I am waiting to see what happens during the month of March to see how things turn out. My medications, which I pay the total cost of, have not gone up.

Grannynurse:balloons:

my mil buys a gap insurance through aarp and signed up for the Rx coverage with them. so far, so good! she pays $21 a month as well and gets her meds for about $40 total a month. she used to pay about $90 a month for meds. not a lot, but she is in the black with about a $30 savings per month.

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my mil buys a gap insurance through aarp and signed up for the Rx coverage with them. so far, so good! she pays $21 a month as well and gets her meds for about $40 total a month. she used to pay about $90 a month for meds. not a lot, but she is in the black with about a $30 savings per month.

There is a difference between your MIL's gap and Rx insurance/Medicare and mine. While we both have the same type of Medicare, we most likely do not have access to the same price of gap coverage and Rx coverage. To ensure I do not have to pay the $250 deductable, am covered for the donut, and continued coverage beyond that, I must pay $60 per month. Four of my medications are brand name and no generics exist. $120 per month. The rest, including insulin, $70 per month. Granted, when I do sign up for a provider, I will save approximately $290 a month. But I am concerned, as are many others of two things, one being charged more then I should be for my medications. Two, the price of my medications going up because the drug companies charge more, the pharmacy has to charge more. The Part D provider charges more to maintain his profit margin.

I am unable to afford gap insurance because I am under 65 and the premium would be in excess of $250 per month, with pre-existing conditions excluded for at least one year. And I suffer from hypertension, a seizure disorder, bluging discs, diabetes, asthma all consider those pesky pre-existing conditions. Plus I have a history of a TIA. I know the cost because I recently talked with an agent, who because of my gray hair and worry lines, thought I was over 65, then told me the cost of several plans.

Grannynurse:balloons:

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.
The Whitehouse is going to do further cuts in Medicare & disability. It will be interesting to see how this country will fair when the H5N1 hits.

The WH/mean old Bushie can't do squat w/o Congressional approval.

Call your congresscritter/senators.

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