http://healthblog.ncpa.org/lucy-charlie-brown-and-the-football-the-drug-companies/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Thu, 24 May 2012 19:14:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://healthblog.ncpa.org/lucy-charlie-brown-and-the-football-the-drug-companies/comment-page-1/#comment-43543 Devon Herrick Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:44:38 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=4034#comment-43543 The savings Max Baucus (Senate Finance chairman) hopes to achieve from drug maker discounts will prove to be illusory. The combination of modest deductibles and a coverage gap (i.e. donut hole) in Medicare Part D was designed to make the plans both affordable and beneficial to enrollees with a broad range of prescription drug needs. Part of the agreement requires drug makers to pay half the cost of name brand drugs for seniors throughout the Part D coverage gap. This will have the effect of making seniors less likely to switch to generic drugs. Since the government ultimately subsidizes about 75% of the cost of Part D plans, anything that reduces seniors’ incentive to substitute cheaper drugs will ultimately drive up the cost for taxpayers. The savings Max Baucus (Senate Finance chairman) hopes to achieve from drug maker discounts will prove to be illusory. The combination of modest deductibles and a coverage gap (i.e. donut hole) in Medicare Part D was designed to make the plans both affordable and beneficial to enrollees with a broad range of prescription drug needs. Part of the agreement requires drug makers to pay half the cost of name brand drugs for seniors throughout the Part D coverage gap. This will have the effect of making seniors less likely to switch to generic drugs. Since the government ultimately subsidizes about 75% of the cost of Part D plans, anything that reduces seniors’ incentive to substitute cheaper drugs will ultimately drive up the cost for taxpayers.

]]> http://healthblog.ncpa.org/lucy-charlie-brown-and-the-football-the-drug-companies/comment-page-1/#comment-43530 Vicki Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:39:37 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=4034#comment-43530 Whatever bad things happen to the drug companies, they will undoubtably deserve. Unfortunately it's all the rest of us who will ultimately pay the price. Whatever bad things happen to the drug companies, they will undoubtably deserve. Unfortunately it’s all the rest of us who will ultimately pay the price.

]]> http://healthblog.ncpa.org/lucy-charlie-brown-and-the-football-the-drug-companies/comment-page-1/#comment-43526 Tom H. Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:12:48 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=4034#comment-43526 Whatever they have, I bet it's not notarized. Whatever they have, I bet it’s not notarized.

]]> http://healthblog.ncpa.org/lucy-charlie-brown-and-the-football-the-drug-companies/comment-page-1/#comment-43517 Joe S. Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:12:41 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=4034#comment-43517 I bet they don't even have it on tape. I bet they don’t even have it on tape.

]]> http://healthblog.ncpa.org/lucy-charlie-brown-and-the-football-the-drug-companies/comment-page-1/#comment-43514 Ken Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:07:09 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=4034#comment-43514 The drug companies are more naive than Charlie Brown. I bet they got nothing in writing. The drug companies are more naive than Charlie Brown. I bet they got nothing in writing.

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