The Winter
of Our Discontent
Articles on the New
Medicare Law and How
It Defrauds the Elderly and
How AARP
Helped it All Happen
Pharmacists Say Drug Plan
Threatens Their Livelihood
By ROBERT PEAR
March 12 — Pharmacists say they have
been losing money under Medicare's new
prescription drug benefit, and they have
taken their concerns to the White House,
forcing the administration to confront
political problems caused by the rocky
start of the program.
President Tells Insurers to Aid
Ailing Medicare Drug Plan
By ROBERT PEAR
With tens of thousands of people unable
to get medicines promised by Medicare,
the Bush administration has told insurers
that they must provide a 30-day supply of
any drug that a beneficiary was previously
taking, and it said that poor people must
not be charged more than $5 for a covered
drug. The actions came after several states
declared public health emergencies, and
many states announced that they would
step in to pay for prescriptions that should
have been covered by the federal
Medicare program.
Attention, Medicare Shoppers . . .
By LISA DOGGETT
Austin, Tex.
This winter, Medicare recipients shouldn't
limit their bargain-hunting to post-holiday
blowout sales. Despite its serious deficiencies,
the new Medicare prescription drug benefit
offers a myriad of savings opportunities, which
in my grandmother's case totaled more than
$2,000 a year. By asking the right questions
and comparing plans, the savvy consumer can
save more with Medicare
than at Macy's.
Confusion Is Rife About
Medicare Drug Plan as Sign-Up Nears
By ROBERT PEAR
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 - Enrollment in the
new Medicare drug benefit begins in three
days, but even with President Bush hailing
the plan on Saturday as "the greatest advance
in health care for seniors" in 40 years, large
numbers of older Americans appear to be
overwhelmed and confused by the choices
they will have to make.
Inside Wal-Mart, a Larger
Debate
New York Times
Editorial
With 26 Page Memo (PDF)
AARP Rigged Its Own
Poll
By Katherine Yurica
In an attempt to prove their membership was
actually in favor of the Medicare Bill offered by
Republican lawmakers to American seniors
and designed to eliminate Medicare, AARP
resorted to rigging its poll results.
Contempt for Congress:
Medicare Bill Fraud
The Washington Post in
an historical
editorial exposes the Medicare fraud
and its cost to America's seniors.
Survey Finds Elderly
Nix New Medicare Law A
new
survey suggests that the number of
Medicare beneficiaries with negative
views of the new prescription drug law
far exceeds the number with positive views.
Medicare Premiums to
Jump
a Record 17% By Johanna Neuman
In the largest increase in the history of Medicare,
insurance premiums paid by elderly and disabled
patients for routine care will rise 17% next year,
the Bush administration
said Friday.
Bush vs. Kerry
Head to Head on Medicare
And Social Security
There is a vast difference
between
the two candidates: one wants to
privatize social security, the other
doesn't. One is proud of charging
seniors more money for drugs--the
other wants to change the medicare
prescription drug law to gain real
benefits for seniors. Adapted from
AARP's article in the Bulletin, with
editorial changes that make the
playing field a little more even, don't
miss this revealing comparison. In
a PDF file.
Prescription Drugs
The Medicare Savings Mirage
Medicare Law Is Seen
Leading to Cuts in
Drug Benefits
for Retirees. Two
Articles: A brief
analysis followed by a New York Times Article
A Fix to Part of the
Medicare
Prescription Drug Benefit
By Senator Maria Cantwell
Drug Cards Dissected
The potential for "Bait
and Switch" is enormous.
Study Reveals Canadian
Imports Increase Drug Makers' Profits
contrary to Drug maker's
assertions; allowing
Canadian drug imports increases
drug
company's profits.
GAO Rules Medicare Videos
Were Illegal
An investigative arm
of Congress ruled that
Bush administration violated federal law by
producing and disseminating television news
segments
that portray the new Medicare
law as a boon to the elderly.
Bush Takes
Seniors For a Ride:
Bush promised seniors
that the new
drug discount card would save them
10 to 25% off the cost of all drugs.
Experts
say the cards don't guarantee
seniors anything and may cost them more!
Bush Targets Social
Security
for privatization and
dismantling. Having won
his battle to begin to eliminate the Medicare
Program, Bush and the GOP go for their
real
objective: eliminate Social Security.
Fraud Kicks in
Ahead of Medicare Drug
Discount Federal officials
have already detected evidence
of fraud in the marketing of
drug discount cards under the
new Medicare law Signed
into
law weeks ago by Pres. Bush
AARP's Treachery
Exposed:
Exactly what they did
to destroy the
original concept of Medicare
By Katherine Yurica This
is the step
by step report of AARP's betrayal. Read on:
Walter Cronkite to aid senior
citizens asking for facts about the new
Medicare bill in an 11 minute video
Medicare Law Hurts
Cancer Patients The new
Medicare payment system has
caused some cancer doctors
around the country to drastically
reduce the services they provide
in their offices. Hundreds
of
oncology practices affected.
45,000 Quit AARP
and Still Counting
Senior citizens are deserting
AARP by the thousands over
AARPs position
on the Medicare Bill.
Though AARP denies it,
data reveals AARP to reap huge
profits from flawed Medicare
Drug
Law
The Medicare Bait and
Switch:
Seniors Pay More While Pharmaceutical
and Insurance Company Profits Soar:
Outstanding analysis of the new
prescription drug deal
that
threatens seniors.
Two More Reports Reveal
the tragedy of the new Medicare
Law.
BU's Health Reform Program reveals 61
percent of Medicare's subsidy is windfall
profit to drug makers. Consumers Union
reveals seniors will have to pay too much
for too little in a program that gives more
to Drug companies than to elderly.
Sign-up to protest to Congress
Who Tried to Bribe Rep.
Smith?
Winning-at-any-cost as a
policy may cost Republicans
too much. Think jail terms for bribery and extortion
in the battle to get the Medicare
Bill Passed.
Conservative Republicans
Rebelled
A critical review
of the tactics Repugs resorted to
in order to get the Medicare Bill passed in the House.
This time the "enemy" targeted was other Republicans.
Get an insiders picture of what happened during the
long hours of "hazing," pressure and "ugly stuff."
The Medicare Bait and
Switch:
Seniors Pay More While Pharmaceutical
and Insurance Company Profits Soar:
Outstanding analysis of the new
prescription drug deal
that
threatens seniors.
21 National Organizations
send a letter to Congress in Protes
of the new Medicare Law (AARP isn't
one of them). See
who is representing
your interests.
The Preface written
by
AARP's CEO, Wm. Novelli
for
Newt Gingrich's book
in May 2003
From BuzzFlash: Retired
Surgeon says new Medicare
law will
mean suffering and even death for our
seniors
AARP Support for new
Medicare
law came as group grew 'younger.'
N.Y. Times
interview with Wm. Novelli, AARP CEO reveals
Boomers chosen over
elderly.
Gingrich Praises Health
Savings
Accounts. Here is a point,
counter point written
by Physicians for a National Health Program
that exposes Newt Ginrich's
real agenda.
Reforming Medicare,
the Gingrich
Way. The shadowy figure of Newt Gingrich slipping
quietly into backstage leadership on the Medicare
Bill is revealed. Newt
Ginrich's new modus operandi.
AARP Gone Astray
by Paul Krugman
Read what might have
been:
Bill Novelli, AARP CEO, outlined
his minimum
requirements for a prescription drug benefit to
Congress in July. Read it and weep! AARP
reversed its requirements on the Medicare Bill
and sold out its membership.
New York Times
Has second thoughts
on the Medicare Bill
Two Yale public
policy experts discuss how
AARP betrayed its members by endorsing
the new Medicare
Bill.
Two Harvard
political studies experts
tell how America's elderly were sold
out
in more than one way by AARP
Bernstein
Research reports that most
employers will see the Medicare Bill
as a heaven-sent opportunity to reduce
expenses by dropping coverage.
Experts
Foresee Revolt by Elderly
Over Drug Benefits
Huge income
from Medigap insurance
exposes retiree organization. AARP
accused of conflict of interest.
Senior Moment knowledgeable
seniors, members of the Medicare Rights
Center for Consumer Action Board Protest
And read what congressmen and
senators
alike are doing about the illegal acts
surrounding the passing of the
Medicare Bill.
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