How the Medicare Drug Benefit continues to betray its intent…
Today the Dept of Health and Human Services announced a mistake in the booklets being distributed to 38 million medicare recipients about the new drug benefit. The mistake, which had implications regarding costs for low income seniors as they select from approved plans, is corrected on the medicare website. I am sure that the lowest income seniors for whom this information is relevant will have no access to the internet, no computer knowledge, and no understanding of how vulnerable they are.
The arrogance of our current administration in implying that the internet is an equal opportunity resource for these seniors is also demonstrated in the debit cards that were distributed to Katrina evacuees. I should not be shocked at the cavernous distance between those who govern and control our resources and those in need.
Equally confusing is that medicare coverage for skilled nursing is based on the daily progess of patients; medicaid coverage for the same senior…and hospice coverage…are both based on the visible decline.
The question to ponder with great depth of thought is where are our values expressing themselves? The minimum wage remains unchanged at $5.15 per hour. Gasoline prices nationally are now stabilized at $3.00 per gallon. Natural gas prices are going up 71% as reported in states across the country.
Then, how much is left for the uninsured and underinsured to pay for medication, to take their child for a physical, to drive to a clinic for a flu shot?
Where do our values express themselves?