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Misleading argument

Steve

Well-known member
one thing that bothers me is when an ill-informed person (such as fff) trys to argue a point with no facts, but the comment is left and few others actually believe them... one fact remains about the VA drug negotiation policy,.. the government is claiming a reduced cost in the program... and fff believes them..

but what they are not saying is that the overall cost of the program has increased,.. it's real cost has actually tripled and some areas it has increased nine-old.. wow, thats some savings.. we are paying 25% less on tripled increased real costs, and the retail sales ninefold increases in real costs.. but the fact they don't tell you is that the savings is really achieved by raising the co-pay of vets...


fff
The VA negotiates drug prices for Veterans. Instead of drug prices going down,

as a recipient of the VA and military benefits there is one minor drawback of the policy.. we don't get all the needed drugs to treat our service connected disability.. the DOD has a term for it (off formulary),.. basically if there is a "cheaper" drug you have to switch to the cheaper version even if it is not effective or pay for it out of pocket by with higher co-pay

One reason DoD eased up on its push for federal price discounts in the retail network was the level of savings being realized through voluntary agreements with drug manufacturers for base pharmacies and the mail order program. In establishing a DoD uniform formulary, or approved list of drugs, DoD began studying whole classes of drugs to determine what medicines are both clinically effective and cost effective. Through last October, 322 drugs had been reviewed and 249 were kept on the formulary.

"The rest were bumped, many of them for being too costly"

so 73 drugs prescriptions are or Bumped. yep bumped.. wonder who is going to pay for that,... yep our vets...

Drugs left off the formulary for "not honoring federal ceiling price," said Rear Adm. Thomas McGinnis, chief of TRICARE pharmaceutical operations, won't be dispensed without preauthorization which means a phone call to confirm the specific drug is medically necessary. Then the co-payment will be $22 per prescription rather than $9.

so the "real savings" are coming out of the pocket of active duty, disabled and retired vets and their families...


and while it seems to be an effective law...
DoD drug spending more than tripled from fiscal 2000 through 2006, rising to $6.2 billion from $1.6 billion. Most of the increase was in the convenient retail network where annual costs jumped nine-fold, from $455 million to $3.9 billion.
so the "real savings" they claim is like the Clinton surplus, we saved 25% of the increased amount (even though it went up 300%)

so basically for the Medicare to adopt the "same policy" it would reduce government costs but that cost would go up 300% and the cost of the savings would be thrust onto our seniors.. some of whom can't afford their drug copays now.. (just like some of our vets)

http://www.fra.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=6933
 

Steve

Well-known member
before some one says $22 co-pays isn't bad.. remember that many elderly and vets don't have just one prescription.. only one of my wife and I's prescriptions are generic, so the rest we pay $22 a month for or do without..

The costs add up quickly.. and while I can afford to pay a bit more many can not and have to do without.

so fff is that what you really want.. a government savings at the cost to our vets.. and seniors?
 
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