Booman Tribune

Medicare D: HHS "Unaware" Of Any Problems

by Street Kid
Fri Jan 27th, 2006 at 11:35:31 PM EST

This article states that Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt seemed
"unaware"
of the problems that residents of nursing homes were faced with when attempting to obtain rx's.

An example--an 80-year-old woman (who is a resident of a nursing home) had a serious infection.  She had to skip two days worth of a powerful antibiotic because her new plan inexplicably rejected her initial request for the drug.  Forty-eight hours later, the plan approved it.

According to Senator Charles Schumer,


"He (Leavitt) seemed incredulous when I told him, but said he wasn't really aware of the problems...I was surprised by that."

continued

Now compare Leavitt's reaction with this:
Robert Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, states that he had a discussion with Mark McClellan, (Administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) EARLY LAST YEAR:

"I was sitting in McClellan's office and I said, 'Look, even if you get this transition 99 percent right for the people losing Medicaid coverage, you're still going to have 64,000 people without drug coverage come Jan. 1.' And [McClellan] said 'No, we have everything under control.' "

From Gary Norton, who runs the Fulton Commons Care Center in East Meadow.:  

"This is a mish-mash and nightmare."

Does it appear to anyone else that there are two (possibly more?) of bushco's administration who possibly did not realize the problems thatMedicare D would cause?

It is clear that Medicare D needs serious reform, other than a reimbursement to the states that have had to pick up the tab for rx's that Medicare D was supposed to pay.

re:  a reimbursment to Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy is quoted

"This is only a Band-Aid on a Medicare prescription drug program that needs major surgery."


Display:
x-posted at mlwand
dkos

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Fri Jan 27th, 2006 at 11:45:22 PM EST
Glad to see ya back Street Kid.  It sounds to me like  Mark McClellan, (Administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) might be in the running for the FEMA Mike Brown award.

I wonder when we'll hear "doing a great job Marky"


Mundane Doesn't Describe It

by Family Man (FamilyMan1atbellsouthdotnet) on Fri Jan 27th, 2006 at 11:57:14 PM EST
Don't forget this dude:  >Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Fri Jan 27th, 2006 at 11:59:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Just trying to get the word out...

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Fri Jan 27th, 2006 at 11:57:29 PM EST

the program is functioning as it is intended to.

The employee who approved the antibiotic for the unusable in the story above may have been new and inexperienced. The insurance companies are aware that these glitches can occur, but I am confident there will be a decrease as employees are briefed.

Like "Brownie," who was unaware of any problems in Operation Crescent Cleansing, Leavitt is simply being forthright and candid.

one man's conspiracy is another man's business plan
Blog updated as needed

by DuctapeFatwa (DuctapeFatwa@yahoo.com) on Fri Jan 27th, 2006 at 11:58:27 PM EST
Sarcasm noted!

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Sat Jan 28th, 2006 at 12:00:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]
The truth masquerading as sarcasm.

'Poverty is the worst form of violence'--Gandhi
by chocolate ink on Sat Jan 28th, 2006 at 12:17:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]
No--I was being sarcastic!!!

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Sat Jan 28th, 2006 at 12:22:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The insurance company checked and fouund that the lady was in fact generating a robust revenue stream for the nursing home's parent company, and approved the antibiotic.

one man's conspiracy is another man's business plan
Blog updated as needed
by DuctapeFatwa (DuctapeFatwa@yahoo.com) on Sat Jan 28th, 2006 at 08:21:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Maybe that is why I shouldn't worry, w/all the rx's that I take...

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Sat Jan 28th, 2006 at 03:36:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

is because God help the entity that tries to deny you your medicine. You are blessedly devoid of meekness, and quite sensibly aware of your value as a human being, whether you are making any rich man richer or not.

one man's conspiracy is another man's business plan
Blog updated as needed
by DuctapeFatwa (DuctapeFatwa@yahoo.com) on Sat Jan 28th, 2006 at 03:53:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
You got me thinking again, DF.  Thought that keeps running thru my mind is, "God help the bush admin."

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Sat Jan 28th, 2006 at 04:28:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]


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