than Congress offering a bone to get backing from seniors....nothing more.
If Medicare part D disappeared tomorrow it would be no great loss.

I personally find that buying smart, working with your doctor on less expensive alternatives (when and where available) and utilizing off shore suppliers to be much more cost effective.

A cancer medication for post breast cancer hormone therapy used by women in Germany, made by the same company that makes the same medication for American women, the only difference is the name and the price, delivered by US Post Office to ones ..........door is 1/5th the price.

Affordable health care? Like everything else from the government.....is based on their definition. The long arm of the government is ever present in the pharmaceutical aspect of health care. The government allows them patent protections and other practices designed specifically to accomplish one end.....keep the price sky high. They also are protected by prohibiting other manufactures from competing with generics.

So why does our government who is so very concerned () about our well being, allow the pharmaceutical companies to continue in this mode. Why should American women be subjected to paying over $800 for a 90 day supply of the same medication her German counterpart pays $139 for a 90 day supply.

And under Medicare part D the government happily pays to the pharmaceutical company the difference of that high dollar amount over the co pay....now why is that? And when one hits the donut hole, the citizen is the one who pays full bore.

Please don't come back with the inferior aspect of off shore pharmaceuticals. The meds are sourced from the same manufacturer, same content, different name. And the German standards are as high and most often significantly higher than those of US manufacturers.

The government DOES NOT HAVE THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE in mind with these programs. Political personal gain and special interest support are the priority.

Why does anybody think the federal government's charade called health care reform will be any different.

btk