Seniors Furious Over Doughnuts

As more and more senior citizens encounter the "doughnut hole" in their Medicare Part D(isaster) prescription plans they are getting furious and desperate. Too many depend on these medications to remain healthy or even alive. The legislation, which was spearheaded in part by Sixth District Congressman Jim Gerlach, forces seniors to pay all of $2850 in the midst of the year, for many, before coverage kicks in again. That's a lot of money for people on fixed incomes and comes right after these seniors had to ante up for their property taxes.

For all patients, Medicare covers 75 percent of the first $2,250 worth of drugs. But after that, coverage drops to zero — and doesn't resume until the patient hits $5,100 in expenses. Then Medicare kicks in again, paying 95 percent of costs. But it's this gap — of almost $3,000 — that many sick and disabled seniors call unaffordable.

"You wouldn't have to have that doughnut hole, that gap in coverage, if Medicare were allowed to buy its drugs in bulk and therefore negotiate the price down, said Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida.

For more anecdotes (horror stories) go here and here. This plan was written by and for the drug and insurance industries. The fact it expressly forbids Medicare from negotiating lower prices is proof of whom it was written to benefit.

Jim Gerlach was a champion of this legislation in Congress but is running from it now. There isn't a word about it on his website. Last October he stood before a roomful of constituents in Cumru Township, Berks County to show off the Plan and was almost run out on a rail. The only was he saved his sorry butt was to lie about his support of the bill. Unfortunately for the Congressman I got him on tape. I caught him lying about that and about the fact the bill was lobbied for heavily by these two industries.

As seniors enter the doughnut hole I urge them to contact Congressman Gerlach and ask why he pushed this awful program upon them. Then ask him why he lied about it last fall.