Obama drops Medicare changes

The Hill ^

[Sub-Driver]

March 10, 2014, 12:38 pm Obama drops Medicare changes

By Elise Viebeck

The Obama administration is abandoning a surprise plan to alter Medicare drug coverage rules after it was almost unanimously panned by Congress and K Street.

Medicare chief Marilyn Tavenner alerted lawmakers Monday that her agency would not finalize regulations giving insurers more leeway to limit the number of drugs they cover for Medicare beneficiaries.

Critics argued that making the change, which the administration said would save money, would have hampered seniors' access to necessary medications

Democrats had worried the issue could have hurt them in the midterm elections.

Tavennar's announcement means six classes of prescription drugs will continue to be subject to strict rules that would require that nearly all drugs in the classes be covered under Medicare.

If the change had gone forward, only three classes of drugs would have been subject to those rules.

“We will engage in further stakeholder input before advancing some or all of the changes in these areas in future years,” Tavenner wrote in a letter to lawmakers announcing the administration was backing off.

“We are committed to continuing to work with Congress to continue to ensure that Parts C and D work best for Medicare beneficiaries.”

[MUDDOG]

Thanks for the confirmation.

It does seem odd that Part A alone would suffice, i.e., no physician or drug coverage.

A "crappy plan" in the Obama terminology.

[windsorknot]

Will some principled individual(s) put a stop to 0bama’s lawless behavior?

[nascarnation]

The Obamacare amoeba.
Morphing weekly.
15,000 additional IRS attorneys and accountants updating on the fly.

[matthew fuller]

"Obama drops Medicare changes"

$10 says that they aren't permanently "dropped", just postponed till after Nov 2014.

[catnipman]

“Democrats had worried the issue could have hurt them in the midterm elections. “

Democrats shouldn’t worry too much about this: they can always impose these rules AFTER the 2014 elections.

[matthew fuller]

"About Part B. A lot of people think that they have to have it and pay that monthly premium. But not so. "

I called Social Security about that( Dropping the monthly $105 or whatever) and I asked specifically if it could be re-instated, and I was told that I could drop it, but there was an increasing penalty to reinstating it, at an exorbitant rate. The $105(+/-) would increase 10% per month for each year it had been dropped.

[grania]

That $105 would increase 10% per month for each year it hand been dropped

It's the same penalty is if you don't sign up at age 65. I looked at what it covered, and $105 didn't seem like a bargain for my medical preferences. It depends on the individual. Meanwhile, I've saved $4200 already, which I've put into an account....at $105 a month.