Chapter 3 Media Article
"New Medicare Law Trips Up the Poor", signonsandiego.com, Jan 12th, 2006
This article basically addresses the issue of how the new Law beneifts the rich but not the poor. The new law states that medicare would be divided into 10 different categories in which people will be enrolled based on their choice. Some of the categories provides better diagnostic coverage and some have better drug coverage and so on. However, the problem is that once a plan is chosen, it can't be changed so when new problems arise where you will need to purchase alot of drugs, and you happen to be on a plan with very limited drug coverage, than tough luck.
"Martha Reagan controls her heart disease and other health problems with 26 drugs that she used to get free through Medi-Cal. But her new Medicare prescription drug plan doesn't cover anywhere near that many, and she can't find a plan that will."
"Come live in my pharmacy for a week and see the people who walk out without their medicine because they don't have $3"
Both very provocitive quotes taken from the article in question.
Relevance to Ch. 3 - Government Involvement
The relavence is that this area of medicare is an example of where government intervention is immediately needed. Because of private medicare services and the new law that limits drug purchases under such medicare plans, the underprivledged are losing their lives simply because they can't afford a few pills that should have been covered by their plan in the first place. Without government involvement like here in Canada, California's medical facilities are nowhere near equal access. A law like this can only favor the rich.
This article basically addresses the issue of how the new Law beneifts the rich but not the poor. The new law states that medicare would be divided into 10 different categories in which people will be enrolled based on their choice. Some of the categories provides better diagnostic coverage and some have better drug coverage and so on. However, the problem is that once a plan is chosen, it can't be changed so when new problems arise where you will need to purchase alot of drugs, and you happen to be on a plan with very limited drug coverage, than tough luck.
"Martha Reagan controls her heart disease and other health problems with 26 drugs that she used to get free through Medi-Cal. But her new Medicare prescription drug plan doesn't cover anywhere near that many, and she can't find a plan that will."
"Come live in my pharmacy for a week and see the people who walk out without their medicine because they don't have $3"
Both very provocitive quotes taken from the article in question.
Relevance to Ch. 3 - Government Involvement
The relavence is that this area of medicare is an example of where government intervention is immediately needed. Because of private medicare services and the new law that limits drug purchases under such medicare plans, the underprivledged are losing their lives simply because they can't afford a few pills that should have been covered by their plan in the first place. Without government involvement like here in Canada, California's medical facilities are nowhere near equal access. A law like this can only favor the rich.
posted by Charlie at 5:38 PM
1 comments
