Oh what a relief it is…………
Audios to the evil witch of the west, oh what a relief it is……..
Letter from Senate Dems to Boehner
January 3, 2011
Speaker-elect John Boehner
Office of the Speaker of the House
H-232, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Speaker-elect Boehner,
As you know, several key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became effective on January 1, 2011. We write out of concern for one particular measure that addresses a loophole in the Medicare prescription drug benefit.
Ever since it was first enacted in 2003, the Medicare Part D program has come with a catch. Once an initial coverage limit is reached, beneficiaries have to absorb 100 percent of their drug costs until catastrophic coverage kicks in. This gap in coverage, known as the Medicare "donut hole," totaled $3,610 in 2010. That means that approximately 3.4 million U.S. seniors with the heaviest reliance on prescription drugs faced the prospect of paying up to $4,000 out of pocket before they qualified for further assistance from Medicare.
This gap in coverage has been a defect in the Medicare Part D program since its creation. It poses a hardship for all seniors, and for some, it has even bankrupted them.
Thankfully, the federal health care law signed in 2010 fully closes the so-called "donut hole" by 2020. The new law provides that seniors will receive a 50-percent discount on the brand name drugs that they purchase while stuck in the "donut hole" and thus will save them thousands of dollars starting in 2011. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, seniors who have high prescription drug spending will save as much as $12,300 over the next 10 years and seniors with low drug costs will save an average of $2,400 over 10 years.
This is no minor reform. But almost as soon as it has taken effect, it is already in jeopardy.
The incoming House Republican majority that you lead has made the repeal of the federal health care law one of its chief goals. We urge you to consider the unintended consequences that the law's repeal would have on a number of popular consumer protections that help middle class Americans. The "donut hole" fix is just one measure that would be threatened by a repeal effort. Taking this benefit away from seniors would be irresponsible and reckless at a time when it is becoming harder and harder for seniors to afford a healthy retirement.
If House Republicans move forward with a repeal of the health care law that threatens consumer benefits like the "donut hole" fix, we will block it in the Senate. This proposal deserves a chance to work. It is too important to be treated as collateral damage in a partisan mission to repeal health care.
Sincerely,
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin
Senate Democratic Vice Chairman Charles E. Schumer
Senate Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray
Senate Democratic Policy Committee Vice-Chair Debbie Stabenow
Senators Reid, Durbin, Schumer, Murray and Stabenow:
Thank you for reminding us — and the American people — of the backroom deal that you struck behind closed doors with ‘Big Pharma,’ resulting in bigger profits for the drug companies, and higher prescription drug costs for 33 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D, at a cost to the taxpayers of $42.6 billion.
The House is going to pass legislation to repeal that now. You’re welcome.
— Speaker-Designate John Boehner’s Press Office
10 comments:
Of course, now living in his hometown area, I'm excited to be lead by a local conservative. I'm praying that this congress will put our wonderful country back on track.
This is such a pivotal year in so many ways. I pray that the outcome is positive.
Pass the Graeter's ice cream, please!
Boo....Happy New Year from an old friend!
Peace from Odat!!!!
Something's gotta give. I just hope it won't be too late, Sarge.
Big hugs :]
I'm expecting much better things from him than I ever expected from that nutcase Pelosi. I'm so glad to see her go.
Have a terrific day Sarge. :)
Well Charlie, I been trying to listen, read and think about all the things that have been taking place here in Canada but I still only see the Dems against the Reps. and versa visa. Realistically are the American people going to be getting the best from the two political parties that are always at each other. I wonder.Here in Canada it's the same. The only difference is we have 4 parties and one of them, the Parti Quebecois who wants to destroy Canada. What a crazy world of political life. Is it good for the regular person.
Paul
Speaker Boehner...oh how sweet that sounds!
Big hugs, honey...
Of course, there was (and is) room for improvement in our health care system. But the passing of ObamaCare was truly throwing out the baby with the bath water. The whole thing needs to be repealed, then let's fix what needs to be fixed INDIVIDUALLY, in bite-sized chunks, and in bills that are NOT thousands of pages long.
P.S. Part of what's needed in health care reform is TORT REFORM.
You're welcome.
this is a happy day indeed!
oh yeah, and isn't it great how our insurance rates went way up and they pay less for our meds as well. loving it - NOT
Good bonkbonk happy day to you Mr. Sargie
I will never understand why everything the government does has to be written with so many words and so many ifs, ands and buts. Medicare Part D is a joke. My honey has taken Celebrex or some form of CoxII Inhibitors for many years or he can't walk. We always paid for it ourselves until retirement. He is a disabled vet and could get Naprosyn from the VA, but that will eat your gut and not help your pain. So, we used to get 90 days worth from Canada for $205.00. Now, we are blessed with Medicare and AARP supplement. We still pay for the insurance and $85.00 out of pocket, but the government claims that it costs $790.00 and adds everything into our TROOP, which drives us into the donut hole very quickly. You think they really pay that for the drug? Luckily, our cardiologists sent him a month's worth of Plavix when he fell into the hole in November, because our share is $161.00 a month. Someone in Washington is smoking something wacky. We are praying that ObamaCare justs blows up and we can pay for our own drugs without their inflated prices. Anything done behind closed doors in the dark of night cannot be good for this country.
Tort Reform! YES!!!
And Yes, to Kacey, too....
I wish Boehner had whacked Pelosi over the noggin with that mallet. There's a game for that - "Whack-a-Mole." I think it could've been called "Whack-a-Hole!"
~~~Blessings~~~
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