Some favored the prescription drug bill. Like Marian Threshold, who has to choose between medications her doctors said were necessary because she can't afford them all. She chooses depending on what aches the most that month. The prescription bill would cover more of her drug costs.
Thomas said the plan could provide prescription drug coverage to 42 million of the neediest Californians. Anyone who qualifies for Medicare would qualify for the plan. The government estimates that the average monthly premium for the drug coverage will be $32.20, about 14 percent less than the $37.37 that was offered under the administration's first proposal.
U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt said the program will save members an average of $1,300 a year in drug costs. In general, the plan will pay 75 percent of initial drug costs up to $2,250 annually after a $250 deductible. But it offers no payment for drug costs from $2,251 to $5,099 -- forcing consumers to pay out of pocket.
More than 25 percent of seniors are likely to have drug costs that fall in that gap, according to the Congressional Budget Office. "My pills cost me $3,000. How do they expect me to pay all of that by myself?" asked Eileen Dietz, a 62-year-old retired teacher. "I've done my reading and I'm better off on Medi-Cal."
After the period for questions closed, Thomas reassured the audience that "no one will lose their prescription drug program." Those enrolled in Medi-Cal, the state-federal insurance program, will be automatically enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug plan this fall. The government estimates that up to 30 million of the 42 million eligible Medicare beneficiaries will sign up during the voluntary enrollment period. A poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation in April found that only 9 percent of seniors definitely plan to enroll in a Medicare drug plan. But 37 percent said they would not.
It has been shown over and over again, that government is not as effective, nor as efficient, as charity in providing for the basics of the truly needy. It is sad, but true, that charity is sometimes necessary to cover the needs of an unfortunate few in society. When government provides for all, however, the number of needy swells to an unmanageable many and all of society suffers.
I don't know how anyone can make up their minds about this since there isn't anything final about what will be covered. I read the publication sent out telling me that someday the providers will put out a list of drugs to be covered and conditions. Even the most favorable situation will help us only a small amount. And we spend a lot of money on drugs, even those we get from Canada.
I wish our Goverment would spend more money on our seniors than on frikkin 3rd world terrorists like the palis.The money we send them could more than cover our elderlys medicinal needs. Our people deserve it much more.