Replies

Explain why Bush wants to spend my money on his new prescription drug plan.

I will try one more time to explain to you--I did this already, you know.

Medicare poor patients cannot afford their meds. They will go see the doctor b/c medicare pays for it. But after their medicine samples run out they cannot afford to pay for the blood pressure, diabetic meds with the glucose monitoring strips and machines, heart meds,etc. They will come back to see the doctor and the sugar is out of control, the blood pressure is high and they are in congestive heart failure or have angina. So far patient pays nothing and government pays for office visits with xrays and labs. Now the patient either gets admitted to the hospital b/c of stroke, heart attack, renal failure, diabetic coma and now patient pays nothing but government now pays for the stay in the hospital plus the food plus the meds and labs and xrays and doctor fees. And if the patient cannot go back home b/c of their stroke, etc, then they go to the nursing home. Again patient pays nothing, medicare pays for all the above. And if the patient does not go to the nursing home, nurses make home visits and again patient pays nothing and government pays it all.

That is the present system. But-- if with education (ergo the education bill), the more educated the patient, the more money they make and the more they understand about their medical care then the better would be the outcome.But--if meds are supplied to the patient, the high blood pressure is controlled and renal failure and dialysis is not as high as a complication, same with diabets if better controlled, then less amputations and less hospital stays, if heart meds are taken, less hospital and nurse visits as outpatient.

Surely, you would agree, with maintenance a car will go further than if you wait til the engine burns up.

This is the big picture, change the medicare system the way it is run with piling on more stuff the government does for you but change it to the patient taking control of his illness b/c they can now take the meds and the costs of hospitalizations and morbidity are decreased. I guarantee you that will happen.

You must not read long paragraphs. Found your original question. And I answered it!!! LOL Did you read the answer???

And by the way your tax dollars are already paying for a bloated medicare system--to unbloat it, get patients well and the costs of medicare go down. Think it thru before you ask the same question. OK??