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Medicare Part D:
(“D” is for Disaster”)
A Presentation of the Gray Panthers
California, produced under a grant from the
California Wellness Foundation
Nevada County Democrats
February 26, 2006
Margie Metzler
916-921-5008
margiemetz@hotmail.com
Website: www.gpcal.org
This program operates under a grant from the California Wellness Foundation
Trust the PHRMA-ceutical Industry??
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A Little Humor…
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Our Motto
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History
Nov. Jan. 1
1965 1988-89 1993 2003 2006
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=9859
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Fire the Truthteller!
Bush, Sec. of HHS Tommy Thompson,
and CMS admin. Scully said cost would
be < $400 Billion over 10 years.
Richard Foster, Medicare actuary,
predicted $600 Billion. He was fired!
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Bi-Partisanship at its Best!
Democrats couldn’t add amendments.
Vote was held open for three hours in the
dead of night until admin. could find 4
supporters. Thompson, DeLay, Bush were
allowed on the floor to twist arms.
Demos. found a room and were threatened
with eviction. They refused to leave till they
got the Bill and slept on the floor.
HR 1 was brought before the House for final
passage at 3 a.m. Sat., Nov. 22, 2003.
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Democracy on Drugs…
Bribery and Intimidation: “I was targeted by lobbyists and the
congressional leadership to change my vote..”
Censoring C-SPAN
HHS Secretary on the House Floor
Misleading Congress and Withholding Pivotal Information
Conference Committee Lockout
Tauzin Negotiates PhRMA Job While Negotiating Prescription
Drug Bill
Drug Industry Money Undermined the Process
HHS Propaganda Campaign
Common Cause: Democracy on Drugs
• ”
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Shame on Them
Tom Scully and Assistant, Jeff Flick
(Where are they now?)
Rep. Billy Tauzin and Rep. James
Greenwood.
Rep. Nick Smith bribed by Tom DeLay
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Drug Companies in Action!
In 2003, the Drug Companies…
hired 952 lobbyists
spent $141 million on lobbying
contributed more than $30
million to campaigns.
There were 12 lobbyists for every
Congressperson
Drug profits rose $182 billion.
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What have we got? Can we make
it better?
Does Medicare Part D reduce costs &
improve access?
OR
Does it simply privatize a major part of
Medicare and enrich drug manufacturers
and insurance companies (while
sacrificing the standard benefits
fundamental to Medicare?)
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Medicare Part D – Working for you?
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Advice in a Nutshell
Ifyou have good coverage in a private
plan now, STAY PUT!
Save every piece of paper you get
from your current plan, Medicare, Social
Security, Medi-Cal etc. Store in a safe
place and make backup copies. Check
with HICAP.
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List of the Most Egregious Issues…
1. Enrollment = Chaos + Confusion.
2. Medi-Cal Beneficiaries are Treated
Badly.
3. Late Enrollment Penalty for Life
4. Retirees with Current Drug
Coverage – Beware!
5. The Donut Hole.
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The Dreaded Doughnut Hole
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More Egregious…
6. No negotiating for best prices!
7. People are supposed to have
choices… but they can’t be
informed consumers
8. The plans get to change prices,
formularies and deductibles at
any time, but you don’t have the
same options.
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Don’t Blame the Pharmacist!
Pharmacists are on the frontlines:
paying co-pays and other costs.
Many of them are working hand-in-
hand with the rest of us advocates.
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What did the Governor just
do?
Authorized the State to pay for
medications for some people who are on
both Medicaid and Medicare
Was recently extended till May, and
we’re hopeful for more extensions.
Great, but this problem isn’t going away!
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Federal Congress people
Senators Representative
http://www.senate.gov/ http://www.house.gov/
Boxer, Barbara- (D - CA) 112 Hart
John T. Doolittle
Senate Office Building, Washington,
20510 (202) 224-3553 Washington, D.C. Office:
Representative John T. Doolittle
Web form: United States House of Representatives
www.boxer.senate.gov/email.html 2410 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-225-2511
Feinstein, Dianne- (D - CA) 331 Hart 202-225-5444 (fax)
Senate Office Building, Washington
DC 20510; (202) 224-3841 Granite Bay, CA Office:
Web Form: Representative John T. Doolittle
United States House of Representatives
www.feinstein.senate.gov/email.html 4230 Douglas Blvd.
Suite 200
Granite Bay, CA 95746
(916) 786-5560
Charlie Brown!! (916) 786-6364 (fax)
www.brown4congress.org
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Who’s your State Legislator?
Assembly (Dist. 3 - Rep)
Go here: Assembly Member Rick Keene
State Capitol
Room 6027
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/ Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
(916) 319-2003
committee_hearings/ District Address
1550 Humboldt Road Suite 4
Chico, CA 95928
Or look in your (530) 895-4217
phone book Senate (Dist. 4 - Rep)
Senator Sam Aanestad
State Capitol
Room 2054
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
(916) 651-4004
District Address
200 Providence Mine Road Suite 108
Nevada City, CA 95959
(530) 470-1846
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Where You Can Go For Help
Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy
Program (HICAP): Call 1-800-434-0222 to reach
your local HICAP or go to www.calmedicare.org.
Social Security: 1-800-772-1213 or go to
www.ssa.gov.
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS): Call 1-800-MEDICARE or go to
www.medicare.gov.
CARA Part D Toolkit at
www.retiredamericans.org
Remember, most other sources of information
are trying to sell you something
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America Can Do Better
After all that you’ve heard, what do YOU
think…
Will Medicare Part D reduce cost, improve
access, and increase your ability to live a
healthy life?
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We Get By with a Little Help from
Our Friends…
CARA (Alliance for Retired Americans)
http://www.californiaalliance.org/default.asp
OWL (Older Women's League), California
http://www.owl-national.org/
Health Access California http://www.health-
access.org/
Congress of California Seniors
http://www.seniors.org/
Pharmacists Planning Services, Inc.
http://www.ppsinc.org/
California Pharmacists Association
http://www.cpha.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=CPhA_Home
• This presentation made possible by a grant from The California Wellness Foundation.
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Together We Can Get A Real
Prescription Drug Benefit
Here are at least 4 Ways you can help.
Circulate & advocate
Educate
Tell your stories
Organize & mobilize
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At the national level…
CIRCULATE & ADVOCATE
Tell people about the problems with Part D and urge them
to join the fight for a Real Drug Plan.
Join Gray Panthers and participate in meetings in your
area. Call 916 332-5980 for the network in your area or
to start a new one.
Organize to hold your representative accountable for real
relief from high drug costs
Support HR 3861, the Medicare Informed Choice Act
(Stark, Schakowsky) to extend the deadline
Support HR 752 (Stark, Berry) the Medicare Prescription
Drug Savings and Choice Act, to create a uniform drug
benefit in Medicare and require that Medicare negotiate for
the best possible prices.
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Call Your Congressional
Representatives
Dial the House & Senate switchboard
1-202-224-3121
Ask the operator for the first representative you want to reach
When connected: “Hello, I live in your district and I’m calling to
ask you to:
Support HR 3861, the Medicare Informed Choice Act to
extend the enrollment period and protect against bad
choices.
Support HR 752, the Medicare Prescription Drug Savings
and Choice Act, to create a uniform drug benefit in
Medicare and require Medicare negotiate for the best prices
Reconsider & replace Medicare Part D with real reform
that saves Medicare and provides relief from high drug
prices.”
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Educate
Be part of a team to follow-up on today’s
presentation.
Take what you’ve learned today back to other
groups you’re involved with
Let us know if people are interested in further
presentations (call (916) 921-5008)
Write a “Letter to the Editor” about the pain
and confusion Medicare Part D is causing
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Let’s Change our Language
(Lakoff-ian Stuff)
Don’t blame Medicare, blame privatization!
Don’t talk of “enrolling” in a program, talk about
buying insurance.
HSA’s: they’re not savings accounts; they’re
High Deductible private insurance plans
Remember, health care is a value. Talk it up!
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Tell Your Story (or help your
friends….)
Share your experiences and those of people
you know
Tell your story today!
Collect stories from others tomorrow
Host a local meeting to get the press to
cover the “dangerous side” of Part D.
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Use Our Form if You’d Like…
…or you can just use any
old paper. We’d love to
have people who are
willing to testify, but we’ll
protect your anonymity if
you wish. We know that
real stories are more
effective than statistics in
the advocacy process.
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At the state level…
Organize & mobilize
Participate in state hearings on Medicare
Part D
Coordinate legislative visits in your area.
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Reach Out To Potential Allies
Gray Panther member groups
Local senior and disability advocacy groups
Pharmacists and their organizations
Non-profit housing providers to seniors and
persons with disabilities
Nursing Homes & Residential Care Facilities
Legal Services Programs
Paid and family care givers
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Contact us!
Gray Panthers Medicare Part D
California/Sacramento Project
P.O. Box 19438 Sacramento Margie Metzler
CA 95819 1121 Wayland Avenue
Sacramento, CA
Joan B. Lee, Chairperson
916-921-5008
(916) 332-5980 margiemetz@hotmail.com
joanblee78@lanset.com Website: www.gpcal.org
Website:
http://www.gpcal.org/
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Are we laughing yet?
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