Solutions To Medicare D Problems

This is my fourth diary re: Medicare D. It includes both the Democratic and the Republican Response to solving the problems that have been created by this. Here goes:

As previously stated, people are having difficulties in getting their presciptions filled. In many instances, these are prescriptions that are necessary to keep a person alive. Add to that the fact that many who are supposed to be covered by Medicare D are on a fixed income. That equals nothing but a total clusterfuck of a prescription drug program that was supposed to be a vital part of health care reform. Then there is the blame being passed around. And of course, each party has their own remedies to solve the problem.

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The Democratic remedy is to sponsor the following legislation:

_require all prescription drug plans to provide new enrollees with at least 30 days of prescription drugs. This is what the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services already have told plans they must do.

_provide federal reimbursement for states, pharmacies and beneficiaries for out-of-pocket costs because the new benefit has failed to cover those costs.

_reduce wait times on calls to 1-800-Medicare.

WTF exactly is that supposed to accomplish? Why not repeal the legislation and go back to something that really works? (Someone has got to explain that one to me, please.)

Now, the republican “remedy” that is being advocated by Senator Charles Grassley:

“Let’s focus on the administrative remedies now because they will deliver help a lot faster than any legislation.”

So, since you have had God-only-knows-how-long to come up with this thing, wtf prevented you from fixing all the administrative regs before it actually took effect? Oh, that’s right, the health of the citizens of this country is not imporant–after all, many people w/low incomes, people with disabilities, and many senior citizens often vote for democrats!

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.V. disagreed w/Grassley saying,