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Blame AARP for Medicare Plan D’s Many Shortcomings

Learn how and why AARP lies to us about Medicare‘s Plan D. Instead of fighting for seniors, AARP throws us to the HMO wolves and builds power on our good names. In turn we are rewarded with the occasional hotel discount.

That was an eye-opening article, but upon reflection one shouldn't be too surprised. Just think about the deceptive icons in charitable organizations, religious leaders, and the fraud that takes place in Medicare and drives to help victims of nature and war zones.
The Jaded One (or Realist?), Joe Mirman

Trouble is, Joe, when we get cynical and jaded, we accept the unacceptable. Frank

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It appears as though you were able to prove your point as to why AARP lied. I have found that when anyone takes actual data, it is possible for them to twist the truth and make a positive point to back up their claim. In other words, figures don't lie but liars figure. Again, I appreciate the hard work you do to help make us more informed. Maurie Herman

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I generally agree that Medicare Part D is a flawed attempt to do something that is really needed by many senior Americans. I personally spent 40 years as a fee basis consultant to employers in the design, installation and administration of health insurance plans, and still I do not understand how to effectively decide what options are best for me under this new plan. It is the most unintelligible, poorly designed and administratively misconstructed health program that I have ever seen. But in my judgment our best option is to participate now, and at the same time demand reform.

When it first started out our basic Social Security System was pathetic. But it was better than nothing. And politicians, wanting to cater reelection favor with their constituents, amended it again and again, almost always on election years. And each time they improved it. Now it is one of the best and most revered programs in our society.

So you just keep on complaining. I'll complain with you. That's the American way. And someday, hopefully soon, our anemic and ill-conceived Medicare Drug Program will politically morph into a legitimate system that provides meaningful, coherent benefits for the elderly, and which really helps us maintain our hard earned savings and retirement benefits. In the meantime, we should do everything possible to be sure that everyone who is eligible enrolls. I fear that if chaos, confusion and dissatisfaction prevail, the powers that be in DC may decide to table or just dump the whole idea of providing a federally subsidized prescription drug plan for seniors. And we must not encourage such an untoward eventuality by being completely negative about this first attempt at a federally sponsored drug plan.

Warren Smith

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Dropped my membership in AARP, when they first approved of the so called Prescription Plan. And as the Prescription Plan took affect, lots of problems. Druggist could not get through to the number they were trying to call, to confirm the membership, some were highly overcharged, etc.

Most likely will work until I am 80 Hopefully, in the mean time, the prescription mess, may be straightened out. Jean Linder

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Thanks for the info. I cancelled my membership in AARP last year when AARP came out in favor of PLAN D. How can AARP get away with saying that the prescription plan they sponsor is THE ONLY plan endorsed by them, when it's so obviously part of AARP's greater plan - to make as much money as they can from people over 50? They are simply a bunch of phonies I will stay away from.

Thanks for listing other groups one can join and keep up the great work. Bob Sisco

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My God Frank! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be nearly as far as I am in this mess. A 'dummy' like me doesn't know what to believe anymore. The facts you give and the way you present them makes my life a lot simpler and I'm here to THANK YOU again!!!

Plus, you deserve to charge for this site. To send this out for free tells me there are still some good people in this world. Keep up the good work, Buddy. You're helping more people than you know. PS...thank Carolyn too. Barbara Wovas

Luckily I have advertisers who pay the many expenses involved with running the site so I can disseminate the information free of charge to as many seniors as possible. Frank

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Your AARP letter is your best effort yet, right on the button. I forwarded it to everyone that I know over 55. I am a AARP member because they do have the best car and house insurance and most important, AARP has a deal with Hatford which forbids the latter to cancel any AARP insured and when you get past 75, ALL insurance actuaries want nothing more than to drop you. Remember, I was Mr. Geico in KS. for almost a quarter of a century and I remember how these people operate.

If AARP had kept their nose out of Part D, it would never have passed.

Let's not loose sight of the fact that AARP is clearly a representative of the DNC and I say that as a political centrist, this one time, they bolted and took the White House side and look at the mess we are in. AARP needs to have it's wings clipped and your column will do a great deal to accomplish that end. Tom Wayne

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Great newsletter today. I keep getting AARP's offers to become a member now that I have achieved the magical age but rip them right up. From now on, I will save them with all the other paper recyclables. You never know when I won't be able to afford the gas to heat my home and then I can burn paper. Thanks and keep your sleuthing up. Carol Gilbert

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I am a senior citizen living in Missouri. I am on both Medicare and Medicaid. As of Jan. 1, 2006, if a senior citizen in Missouri was on both Medicare and Medicaid and did not make specific plans, AARP received them on their drug plan by default. I have 2 questions:

How did AARP arrange this with the state (was there money to someone in the state government involved or did the state actually put out bids)?

How many other states did they suck in? Bertha Barlow

That’s NOT supposed to happen, Bertha. According to law, “dual eligibles“ like you are “randomly” placed in one of the many plans available in your area. Of course, this leads to folks getting assigned to a plan that doesn't cover their specific drugs. That’s what’s happening in most states today. Frank

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Thankfully somebody is keeping a watchful eye on AARP. Allan Checkoway, RHU

Taking Medicare Plan By The Horns This Senior Gets Gored

Frank takes you along as he attempts to negotiate the shoals of Medicare’s drug plan, both online and by phone. Hold your nose. It stinks every bit as bad as everyone says.

Thanks ever so much for your continuing work on this worst situation that the government has perpetrated on seniors. I'm really scared to think of what's next, as you and I know darn well, there is much more coming to "benefit seniors" and pad someone's pocket. Of course, we don't have to worry about our pockets getting to heavy. Keep up the wonderful work. Doris Yingling

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You got that right.. I went to my drug store, a Wal-Mart Pharmacy, and was denied access to any savings. They would not accept my letter of the program I was in and said I was in the wrong program..... I know I had a letter , but it was no good...... What is wrong with these crazy people. that they cannot notify a drug store of who is in the program ... now what do I do.. I am getting the extra help with my medecine from the State. I live in Ark....... but the med program is no good. and I am running out of Med.. So what do I do......I am furious with AARP MedecineRx plan and might get out of it if I do not get help soon. Mary

Keep hammering at this. You‘re doing a lot of good with your articles. Love to read it all and am keeping them. They have the only truth about this situation that I have read. Dean Mattila

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Am I missing something with this new so-called medicare drug benefit? The legislators are calling seniors confused and frightened - we are not any of these things - we are intelligent viable human beings who are thoroughly pissed that our government would try to ram bad legislation down our throats and expect us to be happy about it. Medicare "D" is nothing but a huge boondoggle, designed to enrich the pharmaceutical companies at the expense of those who need their product but cannot afford to pay for it.

I am grossly insulted that seniors are considered confused, frightened, etc., it implies that we cannot read or understand the legislation that the morons in congress want us to accept when, in reality, we understand it all too well.

Keep up the good work! Angela Frazier

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Was checking out the Medicare webpage for several people. The Humana Complete was the best for several people on a lot of expensive prescriptions. When I called them to find out about the asterik by the medications, they said the price of the pills on the Medicare website was averages only the prices were not correct.

I was questioning them on a blood pressure pill that was over 90 for 20 mg for 90 days, but if I put 10mg for the same pill and doubled the dosage the price went down to 9.24 for 90 days. He said you cannot trust the prices on the Medicare website.

WHAT A SCAM THIS IS. How can you find out whichever plan is the cheapest if the prices are not correct? Rosemary

You can’t, Rosemary. Congress give the insurance companies permission to change prices whenever they want. It’s a moving target.

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Why can't our Congressmen have Town Meetings in this thing and explain it to us. Why should there be a penalty if you don't understand it. Yep we are screwed again. THEY VOTED FOR IT. They should know what they voted for.

Yeh! that'll be the day. They vote how the big money tells them to. Well my Congressman does. Bob Sexton

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The new plan is going to cost billions over the next decade. Where is that money coming from? Are the tax payers funding it or is it coming from Social Security, Medicare or where exactly? Thomas Goins

Plan D is estimated to cost $851-billion, Fred, up from $395-billion just a year ago. Actually, the money is mainly coming from borrowed money, chiefly from China. Money that must be paid back with interest by our children and grandchildren. Money that will hold sway over the US foreign policy just as a bank holds sway over a debtor.

Again, let's put the Congress, the Vice President, and the President on the same plan as everyone else has. It would clear things up in less than two weeks. Robin Kuykendall

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Yeah, Frank, if Republicans created an Eden, just for you, you would knee-jerk castigate the program because you couldn't eat the apples. Richard Nolte

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I class myself as pretty smart about the internet , but damn if I don't find myself as confused as some that don't even own a computer.

It sure as hell is not for sissies! Bob Fansler Sr.

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This looks like black mail to me. I really do not see any difference. I do not have enough money to left over, after bills, to get any one of these plans. The medications that my husband and I take do not come clost to costing the price of this new "help" we are being forced to BUY. This is just double talking politics. Thanks for your newsletter. Norma Breedlove

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Come to think of it, Robert Dole's comment is actually right. It is not difficult to understand - that the screws have been put to us. I'm sure that is what he actually meant, right?

I'm finding that my fixed income has found a way to be diminished enough to soon be at a level of $0.00 in no time flat the way it is going.

Talk about a true SCAM!!! I plan to write everyone of my reps and let them know in no uncertain terms that we aren't near as dumb as they think we are. Doris Yingling

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The beloved members of both parties in congress have their own full coverage health benefits without any co-pays, etc...why can't they just move us seniors into their plan an save us all this mess we face today? I think though you related to this a little in the opening of the article. Me thinks the people in Washington are not our servants, we are theirs! They rule over us and boy do we pay the price. Keep hammering at this ....your doing a lot of good....with your articles....love to read it all an am keeping them..they have the only truth about this situation that I have read. I appreciate you! Thanks Again for sticking your neck out in this drug plan mess! Dean Mattila

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My sister and I have been working on the Medicare Part D for family members this weekend. The program is either seriously flawed or it is a major deception for the seniors.

Multiple family members are on the blood pressure pill zestril or prinivil. With the $65.15 a month premium Human PDP Complete plan [Wal Mart] when you enter this medicine, the program changes it to the generic lisinopril. The price for this pill is 63.32 a month and 759.84 a year in the 30 day plan.

In the $13.75 a month premium Humana Standard Plan [Wal Mart] the same pill is agaom changed to lisinopril and that price is now 4.07 a month and 16.26 for the 90 day mail order plan.

In the Yourx Plan, the same pill is $4.00 a month and $48.00 a year for the 30 day plan we could not even get a 90 day mail order plan for this program. It may not be offered.

We have checked 3 plans only 37 more drug plans to go and 12 Medicare Advantage plan to go.

Just called www.rxoutreach.com <http://www.rxoutreach.com> 800-769-3880 and they said they will continue with this for all people not just seniors. My mother uses this. $18.00 for 3 months prescriptions and $30 for 6 months prescriptions. [all generics] Income requirements $32,075 for a couple, over $47,000 for a family of 4. Check it out. It may be work sending out if you can. Rosemary Shay

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I'm a 48-year-old attorney. Been in practice for 15 years ( late bloomer!). Read and review ( and also draft) contracts frequently . Scored a 780 on the English section of the SAT's way back before they started inflating SAT scores. Exempted out of all college English classes... AND my eyes are still good. I went on line to check out what was available for my Mom ( a widow, retired teacher of English and Spanish, summa cum laude from Penn State, still exceedingly sharp, in good physical health, funny as hell , and, oh yeah- for 78 she's HOT- know any decent men?

Thinking I could spare Mom some stress headaches and perhaps a bad decision, I spent two hours on the website looking at plans, comparing plans and cursing both my computer and the assholes who drafted the documents. I got nowhere. I mean- NOWHERE.

I won't be 65 for another 17 years. I'm very well educated AND I do this sort of crap for a living. And I'M FREAKING STYMIED! I have no answers for my Mom and I will have to start all over again when I have more than 2 hours to devote to the project , re-read, print out, underline in highlighter, perhaps do an Excel spreadsheet, and budget in additional bucks for a new computer monitor if I smash this one.

If I'm having problems with it, what then for those who are eligible, have lousy vision, are perhaps less educated, and don't have anybody to help them wade through this stinking morass? MM

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I really deeply appreciate the very good coverage and articles you provide on your web site. I am a senior and use a bunch of medications for a heart condition and high cholesterol. I have been buying my meds from Canada and reputable companies on the internet and I am reasonably on the ball when it comes to figures and numbers.

All I can say is that the average senior can do as good or better by shopping without getting involved in this absolutely ridiculous, confusing and very expensive mess which has been created by our inept government. Billions will be spend to lure seniors into the spider web of private coverage, no way in hell will I become part of this disgusting rip-off. I have a medigap policy from BlueCross without drug coverage and they just sent me their offer to participate, I read it and it's now in my trash can as not a single one of my medications is on their list. For the premiums and the deductible, disregarding the doughnut hole in coverage I can pay for 4.5 months of prescription cost. Thanks again, keep up the good work and GOD bless! Herb Bundgen

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I've been around for eight decades and this bamboozle, sapsucker, and scam is worse than the Model Cities law of the 1960's.

Maybe you can tell me why drug prices are so high in this country. As a fine print and label reader I see that our drugs are made in Canada, Sweden, France, Japan, Slovenia etc.

Now I wonder if the FDA has offices or inspectors in every nook and cranny of the globe, making sure that our health is not endangered or compromised in any way. Yeah..right.

The drug companies have the Part D codes completely in their favor legally, as well as tax and trade advantages. Meanwhile, seniors and everyone else are left hanging in the wind.

What about the American workers that don't have those decent paying jobs anymore?

Please help expose this situation. Irving Cottman

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I believe that the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides, at no charge, a State Health Insurance Tutorial (SHIT). Sorry, I couldn't resist. Bob Howland

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I know that our politicians think we are stupid, but we are not too stupid to know why the Medicare Plan is such a mess. It is to hide the fact that Medicare put the contract of prescriptions to pharmaceutical companies, and they are not going to give the ordinary senior a break.

Hope every one will remember who drew up this plan at election time.

My senator told me they were given a 600-page article and only had time to briefly look over it before it was put on the floor to be voted on. Like you, could get on a stump and preach. Jean Linder

Those are simply excuses. What kind of a person signs a half trillion dollar bill (at the time) without reading it? They are all on PHarma's payroll. We must change the system where all politicians, Republican and Democrat, are on the same corporate payroll. Public financing of election is part of it. Stopping gerrymandering, another.

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You're already WAY ahead of me, Frank. I could not even get the site to operate. I clicked on 'Compare Medicare Prescription Drug Plans', then waited an eternity for a blank screen to show up.

My advice? You should have spent your money as fast as you could, thereby being totally broke by age 65 and thus eligible for Medicaid. Kay Burns

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I dunno, Frank - I can't understand WHY they made all this so complicated! If necessary, I'll keep getting drugs through Canada. I don't take that many, but I will be going on a new drug in order to breathe...and it's not cheap.

My HMO has not presented their drug plan yet. I did call them last week and the fellow who answered the phone stated they haven't come out with figures yet but he said "You'll be on Plan D of Medicare and get better coverage."

I think they need to rip the whole thing up, start all over again and make a "One Plan Covers All." And KEEP-IT-SIMPLE- STUPID!!!

I am very leery of all these "plans" - because I need every penny that comes in here. Joan Locker

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Just yesterday I reordered my few meds from my highly reliable Canadian supplier, which I do quarterly. No way will I be signing up for the ridiculous new prescription program. Norm Voiles

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I'm so disgusted with this outrageous "benefit" that I just had to tell someone about my experience so far. I'm on Medicare for disability, under 65, so I qualify for the Rx drug programs. I checked the Medicare site several times, filling in my location and the medications I take. Every time it showed that three Aetna plans would be best for me. Supposedly the drugs I take would be cheaper than what I pay now, even those not covered by insurance as seemingly there were discounts. I had my choice of the pharmacy I now use and many more in my area.

Thus I called Aetna and asked for their written information. They tried to get my Medicare number but I didn't give it. To their credit, the woman did say I didn't have to tell them.

Once I had their brochures, I tried to call them. It took me days to get through as a recording usually came on saying they were too busy. Today I finally got a representative. She talked so fast that I could barely understand her at first. I then asked about the price discrepancies between what I saw online and what was in the brochure. She asked me if I was entitled to assistance. No, and I told her I'd stated that at the site. When I told her what the site said about the price of one of my cheaper medications, she told me that was wrong, that all prices given there were "approximate." It turns out the price of my cheap generic blood pressure medication would be *higher* with their plan. Yes, the co-pay is more than I'm now paying.

Then I asked about a couple of other drugs, both common. One would require my doctor to get permission from them in order to have it covered. He could call their toll free line and they'd answer within 24 hours, she said. Another had her completely bamboozled though it's a common medication. By the time I was through with this representative, I'd figured out that I'm saving money by NOT having coverage. Yes, that could change should I require an expensive drug at some time in the future, but why should I pay $34 to $45 per month now to Aetna?

I'd spoken to two representatives before I got this so-called expert, and all of them talked very fast. No doubt this is because they're overwhelmed, but what would an older person who doesn't hear too well do? They assumed I'd found out everything on the Internet, so what happens to those who don't use computers?

If the Medicare site is correct about Aetna being best for me, I'd hate to see what the others might offer. Despite knowing that this program was designed for the benefit of insurance and drug companies, I'd held out some hope that it might offer me a small savings. As best I can tell, it does not. They tell you that it will save you money if you pay more than $35 per month for medication. If they were honest, they'd make that *far* higher. I don't know exactly how high, but I presume that varies with how each company classifies the medications and if there is a generic.

I don't intend to sign up for anything now. My pharmacist sent me materials for another plan which is obviously only to his benefit as it would also raise my costs. Rip-offs abound. Lynn Ryan

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Right now and for three years I've been taking Lipitor, through a low income program, at a clinic I've used for 12 years. My prescription (90 day supply @ 40 mg, for $6) is filled by Pfizer. And guess where the drug comes from? Ireland. Yes, it's imported from one of its overseas pharmacies.

I'm not signing up for this "Part D" program, which has nothing to do with Medicare. And, if enough of us seniors refuse to sign up, either the program will be dropped, or changed so that it is really beneficial to seniors. Jerry Brooks

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Frank, evidently Bob Doles Viagra must have also perked up his brain. Ron Fields

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I was also in Tampa to hear Bob Dole tell us he was a senior "just like us." Well, he won't be just like "me" until I get the same medical benefits he gets.

I am a disabled senior who takes 11 medications for various serious illnesses. I have no drug coverage. I get three of my most expensive drugs from Patient Assistant Programs from the pharmaceutical companies, and I pay for the rest. If the patient assistance programs go away, I will probably just die without my meds.

I am just a bit over the low 14 grand a year so I don't qualify for any help. I have asked many of the insurance people to tell me when I will reach the donut hole and they all change the subject to "how much I'll save."

If you can't buy your drugs during this donut hole period, then you simply die. The Bush dynasty could care less.

I asked the first question of Dole in Tampa and apparently didn't get across my meaning which was "Why doesn't the government negotiate with the drug companies like the VA and give us the benefits?

However, Dole turned to the lady from Medicare and she said the insurance companies are doing just that. Well whoopee! Thanks for all your great info. Wish I'd gotten to meet you in Tampa. Love your site and have turned all my friends with computer on to it. Dody White fuming in St. Pete, FL

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I tried the <Medicare.gov> website and my DePauw-educated eyes glazed over. No wonder why us geriatric-challenged adults are confused. Hell, a rocket scientist would also be baffled.

This is the most bone-headed piece of legislation that the pharmas have ever passed. It's a shame we don't have "representative legislators" writing our legislation. Mac Thorlton

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It is not widely known, but privatization has been around a long time and can be thoroughly discredited. The electric power industry was originally developed by cities and other communities building electric power generating plants. Almost all generating plants were publicly owned and operated because private industry was unwilling to invest the enormous sums required. This is also why they have always been called "Public Utilities." During the 1920's there was a privatization movement to sell these plants to private owners because they could run them much more efficiently than the municipal beaurocracies.

Many stock corporations were formed and the process went forward. There were in place certain regulations as to pricing of the power, but the stock companies were largely unregulated. The problem arose when these stocks began trading on the various stock exchanges. In the late 1920; the utility stocks were the dot.coms of the time as their growth was spectacular based on the growth in demand from the electrification of America. The resultant bubble was the hysterical speculation that fueled the great 1929 bull market. It was the crash of these particular stocks that broke down that bull market and led to the Great Depression.

It is particularly unfortunate that the memory of that is mostly lost. The lesson is that when the rich and powerful make mistakes, the general public pays an enormous price. I had dinner two weeks ago with a lady in her eighties who has an excellent memory of the tragedy. Her father was the accountant for a small town South Georgia Bank and she remembers him paying out to the depositors what was left after the bank failed. She said there was a long line of silent men in front of her home and down the sidewalk. These good, hard working citizens had lost their life savings in part because of privatization.

So many CosCons nowadays are critical of the New Deal because they do not have these memories. We are slowly abandoning the regulated system that really made this country truly great. Regulation works because the rich and powerful cannot be trusted not to make crucial errors. Cam Harlan

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You won't believe how many times I've written letters to the editor, which don't get printed, that Pres. Bush has finally solved the poverty problem. Just eliminate the poor, including seniors! If you don't starve to death, you'll die from lack of proper medical care. Larry Leighton

Larry, see my Operation 'Space Camp. 'Seniors' Final Solution? Is this Uncle Sam's secret plan for getting rid of everyone over 65?

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