Administration Caught In Lie About Medicare
Administration Caught In Lie About Medicare
20 states have had to step up and cover prescription drug costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries who were denied life-saving medications because of glitches in the administration’s new Medicare plan.
Medicare administrator Mark McClellan originally refused to reimburse the states, claiming the federal government didn’t have the authority to do so:
Under this program, we don’t have the authority to pay states directly. People are in Medicare drug plans, and it’s the Medicare plans that are supposed to pay for the medications.
Legislators in both the House and the Senate offered to help the states and introduce legislation that “gives the federal government the authority to reimburse states.”
But it ends up the administration had the authority all along. McClellan has backtracked, now saying no legislation is necessary: “This can start right away. We don’t need legislation.”
Caught in another bogus excuse.
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What scotties brother puts out disinformation, it must run in the family.
January 25th, 2006 at 10:50 amLYING......its the Republican way......
January 25th, 2006 at 10:52 amAmazing
January 25th, 2006 at 10:55 amOne brother lies (consistently) and the other brother swears to it.
Why am I not Surprised?
Screw the people, advance political/corporate agenda.
Is this guy Mark related to Scotty Mcclellan?
January 25th, 2006 at 10:58 amSolution? Abolish unconstitutional medical entitlements. Benefit: health care costs tumble.
January 25th, 2006 at 10:59 amHmmmm, less money to fight terrorism. Look out middle income Americans. Bushco will be coming after what money you have left.
January 25th, 2006 at 10:59 amHis brother, but there is NO cronyism in the bushco, inc. admin
January 25th, 2006 at 10:59 amHow to be a Poltician;
January 25th, 2006 at 11:00 amA; Suck booty
B; Kiss booty
C; LIE
D; Lick booty
E; Praise booty
F: Cover booty
#Solution? Abolish unconstitutional medical entitlements. Benefit: health care costs tumble.
Comment by I-RIGHT-I — January 25, 2006 @ 10:59 am
I suppose IRI that you MIGHT POST something related to this?
January 25th, 2006 at 11:01 amIt's because they realize they are gonna get steamrolled when the seniors figure out they've been had. All seniors need to know is that they can't get or afford drugs they used to get regularly, and they'll know.
With everything, they start out screwing slowly, then adjust as to not attract attention, then keep screwing even as they are telling you to your face that they've stopped.
Like No Child - trumpet it, then don't fund it. No one reports it wasn't funded. That would require "follow-up" by a reporter.
Raping the treasury is the only concern of these criminals.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:03 amMr Ho HAHAHAHA, you have it right. You should be a professor of political science.
Poppycock:A chronicle of the stupidest things ever said.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:05 amMr Ho HAHAHAHA, you have it right. You should be a professor of political science.
Poppycock:A chronicle of the stupidest things ever said.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:05 amThe congress over the years has given the people these laws, or entitlements as IRI says, but that makes them Legal.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:05 amOnce AGAIN IRI is back to his Hooverisms and perceived injustices. Are you back onto your Arianism again IRI?
Abolish IRI - Benefit: bullshit quotient tumbles.
I hope you get real sick and go broke, like you want for others, you sick bastard.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:05 am#Mr Ho HAHAHAHA, you have it right. You should be a professor of political science.
Poppycock:A chronicle of the stupidest things ever said.
Comment by Indian Paintbrush — January 25, 2006 @ 11:05 am
Glad I didnt see my name listed there on poppycock. =)
IRI might find a seat there....
January 25th, 2006 at 11:10 amIRI - Health care costs tumble. Hospitals go bankrupt. Public health plummets, outbreaks are not controlled. Even your rich friends die. U.S. quanantined by other developed nations with functional health systems. Economy tanks.
Neocons - Bankrupting America.
It's not as though the Repubs have ballanced the budget or anything, and their policies will lead to higher deficits and stagnation because they cannot see that public health spending is an INVESTMENT in America that pays real dividends.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:12 amFirst IRI wants to Abolish the Constitution, now you want to keep it and only abolish certain parts. IRI wants all the old people out on the streets, or to go to war for his GOD greenback.
You see IRI this is why your Un American. Money is not the Issue, its those people whom worked all their lifes, at substandard wages, its not their fault they cant afford these way overpriced drugs.
Its people like you whom think that Min Wage isnt poverty. That Capitalism has a Crystal Ceiling. That money can be printed into affinity. It can not.
The Bush War is on IRAQ for the mighty dollar, and you KNOW it. Saddam was to take his oil off the Dollar..Right IRI?
January 25th, 2006 at 11:16 amWasnt that the true threat?
Abolish IRI - Benefit: bullshit quotient tumbles.
A win-win situation.
I hope you get real sick and go broke, like you want for others, you sick bastard.
He is sick, but sadly it isn't treatable.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:19 amI think the McClellan Brothers need to go on a fishing trip, to Iraq.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:23 amThe congress over the years has given the people these laws, or entitlements as IRI says, but that makes them Legal.
Once AGAIN IRI is back to his Hooverisms and perceived injustices. Are you back onto your Arianism again IRI?
Comment by mr ho
What is it that you think Arianism is Mr. Ho? I suggest you look it up before you answer. I think you mean Aryanism but nope, that's not my thing.
My point is this. Everything the federal government touches gets screwed up. The astronomical rise in health care costs is due solely to meddling politicians and liberal do-gooders. These drugs the old folk need should cost next to nothing but since the feds are paying for them they cost as much as the politically corrupted market will bear. That is true of EVERYTHING the feds do. Liberals never look beyond the immediate gratification of DOING SOMETHING, EVEN IF IT'S WRONG.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:23 amIRI, you almost got it right, Everything the federal government LED BY GEORGE BUSH touches gets screwed up.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:26 amI-Right-I;
Arianism is an old Christian sect started around 300 AD.
I think Mr. Ho is saying that you are an antique, retrograde ass. Mr. Ho, I beg your pardon for interpreting your words, and hope I didn't do so incorrectly.
Anyway here is more information about Arianism.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:27 amhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01707c.htm
THE ONLY HONEST PERSON IN THEIR FAMILY IS THEIR MOTHER,
January 25th, 2006 at 11:29 amCAROL STRAYHORN, THE INDEPENDENT (FORMERLY REPUBLICAN), RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR OF TEXAS THIS YEAR. I JUST HOPE THAT NEITHER ONE OF THEM HELP HER IN HER CAMPAIGN. SHE WOULD LOSE IF THEY DID. ANYONE WOULD BE BETTER THAN GOVERNOR PERRY, BUSH'S REPLACEMENT.
I-Right-I;
Arianism is an old Christian sect started around 300 AD.
I think Mr. Ho is saying that you are an antique, retrograde ass.
Comment by Skeptic
No, he was trying to say I'm a Nazi but spelled it wrong. That's what he gets for doing drugs in his formative years.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:32 am#20 IRI :
"The astronomical rise in health care costs is due solely to meddling politicians and liberal do-gooders. These drugs the old folk need should cost next to nothing but since the feds are paying for them they cost as much as the politically corrupted market will bear."
The astronomical rise in the cost of health care is actually due to the current administration being in bed with big pharmaceutical companies. You see IRI, the government has the ability to negotiate lower drug costs. They do it for veterans all of the time. They made a conscious choice to not allow negotiation of prices when outlining the new medicare plan. Ask yourself why IRI. Why would the administration refuse to negotiate on behalf of america's seniors? Who benefits? You are right that these drugs should cost less, but they don't and I've given you the reason why. Can't you admit that it is wrong to legislate in favor of big business while fleecing our elderly? C'mon man, grow a conscience. If your granny gets sick, this screws her too. It's not a partisan issue.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:34 am#20 Benefits of pure capitalism: in the last year flu outbreak, USA had not enough stock of flu shots, because a flu shot gives little % revenue, and big pharmaceutic laboratories, specifically in the USA, want BIG BUCKS. In a pure capitalist world, without money coming from the taxes to pay for flu shots, the little benefits of creating flu shots, would end in no flu shots at all.
In fact, actually the flu shots of the USA are purchased every year to a british company, because no USA enterprise want to do them due to the little revenue of the whole deal in money. And, when the stock went depleted, people hurried to Canada or Mexico, countries with flu shots are co-payed with taxes on canadian and mexican people. So your great country depends on the people of countries you despise, IRI.
Milions of people died at early XX century from a malign flu strain Do you want to take the chance again?
January 25th, 2006 at 11:39 amTypical for trolls: blame anyone/everyone, ignore the real reason.
Healthcare technology has increased, but costs more for the ‘latest & greatest’, and not everyone needs the ‘latest & greatest’ for their particular ailment.
Blaming lawsuits is like blaming the person hit by the car instead of the person who drove the car into you. The ‘tort reform’ CLAIMS that if the limit the payout to lawsuits it will reduce the cost, but they only want to turn of the out-going spigot, not the money going into the doctors insurance companies. Make the law state: If we guarantee the reduction of payouts for lawsuits, then we guarantee the reduction of payments for the insurance. Won’t happen. The Insurance companies make trillions annually.
It’s the pharmaceutical companies that are driving the cost of medicines through the roof. Since it’s the politicians that are getting the lobbyists to throw them money left & right to pass favorable legislation, it’s the politicians who are the problem. Don’t blame ma 7 pa kettle for wanting to live. Don’t blame the government programs that want to keep ma & pa kettle alive more than one year past retirement.
Blame the party in power for not wanting to solve the solution, rather keep the status quo and rake in more and more money from the lobbyists. Any other excuse is just that: an excuse to bash people based in your pre-existing bias and partisan attitude.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:40 amIRI - Health care costs tumble. Hospitals go bankrupt. Public health plummets, outbreaks are not controlled. Even your rich friends die. U.S. quanantined by other developed nations with functional health systems. Economy tanks.
Comment by Albert
Health care costs tumble because prices are not kept artificially high by corrupt government and heath industry collusion. Rich white me stay rich but not as rich as they were. Poor people have same access to health care, middle class pay less in drugs, insurance and office visits, more people can afford decent care and save their money. Bank accounts rise, dollar gets stronger. USA Rules the universe for the next 100 years.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:41 amI'm-Really-Ignorant--The high cost of medicine has more to do with the fact that the congressman who wrote the medicare drug plan went to work for the drug companies right after the end of the congressional secession in which the plan passed. His name Billy Tauzan formally a republican congressman from Louisiana
January 25th, 2006 at 11:43 am#28 ... IRI wakes and realizes that he (still) lives in his filthy 1960 car in a trailer park.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:44 am#16 IRI isn't rich, just another follower; a Bush apologist; a man with no real substance or compassion; just a troll. People like IRI are angry because they aren't RICH ENOUGH. They want more and figure someone must be taking it from them if they don't have it. They are never satisfied. What they fail to understand is they aren't as successful as they want to be because they let anger win. These folks always end up in the middle, yet vote against the middle class because they feel the poor are getting something for free. Sheep vote with emotion, not common sense.
It is just classic selfish republican behavior. Isn't it obvious that he prefers to argue rather than make a difference in society?
January 25th, 2006 at 11:45 am#28 The corrupt government that Frist has a leading role in creating. Those prices are high, because of republicans wanting to WIN so bad that they have sold us out to corporations. And those like you are the problem, but will never admit it because you don't want to kill babies.
See how stupid that sounds? You are willing to give up what our country stands for because of an issue you have NO business involving yourself in.
Neocons are blinded by one single issue. They have totally given up on State's rights and fiscal responsibility. After that, the repubs don't stand for anything.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:49 am#31 - Actually, I think that "Right between the I's" just likes to blame anyone/everyone else for the failures of the Republican party.
Rather than "fix" Medicare, they made it even more of a mess than it currently is. "It must be because of Pres. Clinton, or the liberals!" No personal responsibility being taken there!
Rather than "balance" the budget, we now have historically defining deficits. "It must be because of Pres. Clinton, or the liberals!" No personal responsibility being taken there!
If a currently elected Republican ever takes personal responsibility, I think the fabric of the universe would tear, and it would be the end of the world as we know it. Thankfully, that is such a remote possibility that I won't have to hold my breath.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:53 am[Comment deleted by admin]
January 25th, 2006 at 12:05 pm#29 - Tauzin -exactly. That POS wrote the medicare legislation right before he went to be the head of PHARMA. Another unamerican republican crook lining his pockets and his contributors at the expense of everyone else - except Paris Fucking Hilton and co.
Read it and weep - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10138-2004Feb3.html
Then there was the Tauzin/Dingell act that cleaned up for the telecommunications monopoly - http://www.newnetworks.com/8reasons.htm
GOP - The Party of Destroying Businesses.
January 25th, 2006 at 12:25 pmDrug companies should be prohibited from advertising, in any form. No TV, no print, no radio, nothing. If your Doctor feels that you need something, She/He will take care of it for you. Doctors are not "middlemen" Drug companies have no business hawking their wares directly to consumers. But they are all greedy bastiges, with dollar signs, instead of pupils. Advertising is EXPENSIVE!!!! And we are all paying for it, in more ways than one. Bend over.....SSDD.
January 25th, 2006 at 12:29 pmHillary care and turn over 1/3 of the the U.S. economy to the feds!
January 25th, 2006 at 12:40 pmTracy with out the HMO's bilking medicare and some proper preventative care like I get at the Veterans Administration the overall cost probably will be lower.
January 25th, 2006 at 12:45 pmOh and by the way Tracy the cost of prescriptions would be cheaper because like the VA then medicare would be able to get a lower cost because they buy such a large amount just like anyother bulk purchase of goods in this country, the fact that The republicans gave the pharmas a windfall profit guarentee by requireing the medicare program pay full retail price instead of the discopunts must really burn your good conservative values I mean that is a direct waste of tax dollars that belong to the tax-payers, but the good republicans by their legislation took those tax dollars and gave them to the drug companies, good republican conservative lower taxes in action RIGHT?
January 25th, 2006 at 12:53 pm#38 & #39
I don't favor the government rationing healthcare and having to wait in long lines.
January 25th, 2006 at 2:19 pmSorry Tracy that dodge doesn't work, rationing is what the HMO's do by not aproving a procedure or denying payment, I've NEVER had any procedure that was medically necessary denied by either the U S Army during my service or by the VA after I got out, in fact I just had my bi-annual check-up due to some of the medical conditions my service from Desert Storm left me with. As for the long line, I was talking about negociating lower prices for large bulk purchases that is standard in all industries I know of. So the line argument is a false dodge. 0 points please play again and this time please stick to the question wouldn't negociating lower priced serve the TAX PAYERS of this country better and don't the congress serve the people?
January 25th, 2006 at 2:32 pm#36 - My doctor was telling me that she's tired of the pharmacy commercials, because patients decide they want the drug, even if it's not appropriate for them.
I think that the only advertising that pharmacies should be allowed/required is how much is spent on the making of the drugs, and how much profit they are getting on the drugs.
January 25th, 2006 at 2:41 pm#40 - But, I assume that you are just fine with the 'big government' (care of Pres. Bush) rationing your civil liberties and having to wait your turn for the first or fourth amendment.
If you were dependant upon Medicare (or Medi-scare) I'm quite confident that your attitude would change to something a bit more progressive. Pray to what ever God in which you believe that you never ever have to do depend on Pres. Bush for anything because you, madam, would die before he ever got around to even thinking about your healthcare.
January 25th, 2006 at 2:44 pm[Comment deleted]
January 25th, 2006 at 2:56 pmYo tracy two pathetically weak arguments come on Karl must be slipping, guess that fitzgerald has him preoccupied and he can't keep-up no more
January 25th, 2006 at 3:46 pmFunny, Tracy Billy Tauzin has no problem taking socialised medicine at the same time he wrote this bill, see he was treated at a government not private hospital, Bethesda Naval Hospital which means he didn't pay for it, but I already told you I thought the military hospitals were pretty good, funny they are a take presonal responsibility until it comes to them.
January 25th, 2006 at 5:22 pm#41 - I was about to tell Tracy that same thing. He has been told by Rush that there will be long lines and he believes it. I'm sure he was also led to believe that we will have poor healthcare, as if all the doctors will flee.
Universal healthcare will happen. Can't stop it.
January 25th, 2006 at 5:36 pmWonder if "he" hates government sponsered medical practices because they told "him" that "his" surgery was elective, he might think he was born in the wrong body, but changing his body was still a choice, and that the taxpayers do not have to pay for it.
January 25th, 2006 at 5:41 pm#43
"But, I assume that you are just fine with the ‘big government’ (care of Pres. Bush) rationing your civil liberties and having to wait your turn for the first or fourth amendment."
4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Probable cause is determined by the Attorney General, so where is my 4th Amendment rights being violated?
"If you were dependant upon Medicare (or Medi-scare) I’m quite confident that your attitude would change to something a bit more progressive."
I have no problem with Medicare especially for those who are not able to afford health insurance and it should most definately stay in place. Hilary Clinton, back in the early 90s was proposing that the ENTIRE healthcare system of the U.S. be managed by the feds...and rightfully so it was opposed by the VAST majority of Americans and defeated.
January 25th, 2006 at 7:53 pm#47
Please tell me why so many Canadians come to the U.S. to have various medical procedures performed.
January 25th, 2006 at 7:54 pmMcClellan doesn't know what he's talking about - ever. He memorizes his talking points, his responses and that's his job description.
January 25th, 2006 at 7:56 pmYes Bush LIES about Medicare, so what is new about that?
He LIES about WMD in Iraq; he LIES about illegal wiretaps; he LIES about our rotten economy!
He must be impeached!!!
January 25th, 2006 at 11:30 pm