Ezra Klein: Ugh

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February 14, 2006

Ugh

Why does the Bush administration hate sick people?

You know, snark aside, they really do prey on the sick and the weak, don't they? Do read the link, I'm a health care guy and even I hadn't figured that out.

February 14, 2006 | Permalink

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Tracked on Feb 14, 2006 2:35:58 PM

Comments

The Medicare Part D donut hole will be kicking in for those whose drugs are expensive and continuous just as the electoral season is getting into high gear.

Many of those people still probably haven't figured out exactly what the donut hole is going to do to them, but when the bills are due and they can't pay, squeals of public anguish will be hard for Bu$hCo to drown out. States will once again be put into the strain of paying for Republican cruelty, and they won't be able to afford it, but the interested public (family of those now going without drugs) will be very vocal.

Will Bu$hCo resist change in Part D to fill the donut hole, or will they crumble in the face of a national uprising?

Will evil get its just rewards at the polls?

Posted by: JimPortandOR | Feb 14, 2006 2:14:45 PM

I'm surprised that you're surprised. Shifting risks to non-rich individuals is what Republican policy since Reagan does. Bush has just accelerated his party's work.

Posted by: wcw | Feb 14, 2006 2:54:08 PM

If I didn't know better, I would say that the donut-hole in Part D was nothing more than a ruse to shield the true out-of-pocket cost while protecting the profit margins of the insurance companies.

Good thing I know better.

Posted by: Stephen | Feb 14, 2006 3:52:54 PM

Excellent point--I hadn't done the math on this either and wow, it's obvious and VERY important!

Seriously, at this point, I think we can sum up the Republican approach to healthcare in one phrase, "Screw the sick."

I wish I were exaggerating.

Posted by: theorajones | Feb 14, 2006 6:31:47 PM

Why do they do this? Are you serious? Because most people (ie most voters) won't have to pay any deductible at all and will be very satisfied. Those who get stuck in the donut hole are likely to be old- mostly democrats anyway- or quite ill- non-voters.

Posted by: JR | Feb 15, 2006 4:17:02 PM

Why do they do this? Are you serious? Because most people (ie most voters) won't have to pay any deductible at all and will be very satisfied.

I'm going to assume that you don't know much about the cost of medication, or about the amount that the average senior citizen takes. Remember, this donut hole does not kick in after $2,250 of $15 or $20 copays, it kicks in after $2,250 of medicine is purchased - prices of which the government is now forbidden by law to try and negotiate down. Without insurance, most common prescription medicines cost between $75-$200 for 30 days. There are many which cost much more.

Medicare Part D shows very clearly that Bushco doesn't care about a legacy or the future political prospects of other members of the GOP. It is purely to get as much profit as long as possible. The only reason that Congress passed it is because Bush was still popular enough that they thought he would have coattails to ride on rather than run away from.

Posted by: Stephen | Feb 15, 2006 9:57:38 PM

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