By Gloria DULAN-Wilson
Hello All!
Thought I'd start the week off with some good
news from President Joe Biden and Medicare/Medicaid (CMS) Administrator
Chiquita Brooks-LaSure! After all, don't you get your belly full of the
faux news of T-rump - an ongoing diatribe of his misbegotten antics
that are designed to push essential information to the back ground while
you watch his clown show?
Well, that's not gonna happen here! We don't
focus on miseducation, misinformation, or all the efforts to distract us
from what is essential for us as we are pushed closer and closer to the
brink of distraction by nefarious individuals bent on dictatorship over
democracy in America.
I think most of us can agree that if you don't
have health - good health - you don't have anything. Your quality of
life is jeopardized by not having access to quality medication, quality
care, insurance, or discretionary funds to cover the cost. But thanks
to President Joe Biden taking an aggressive role in tackling some of
these egregious violations and costs, by actually giving Medicare and
Medicaid the boosts needed to help people - sadly they're just not aware
of these programs and their benefits.
I keep hearing people complain about the cost
of food at the grocery stores, but they don't understand that there are
other things that also converge on this.
I recently had the privilege of a telephonic
interview with President Biden's Administrator for CMS (Medicare and
Medicaid). As you well may already know, President Biden has been
instrumental in reducing diabetes medication from $400.00 to $35.00 per
month! Sadly, Diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in the US
- some 11.3% and sufferers have often been caught between paying for
the medication and putting food on the table or keeping a roof over
their heads.
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Chiquita
Brooks-LaSure - first Black woman to govern Medicare and Medicaid -
speaks on the first ] Ten Drugs that will be negotiated by Medicaid
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Under President Biden's Inflation Reduction
Act, according to Ms. Brooks-LaSure, the next drugs targeted for cost
reduction are: Eliquis, Xarelto, Jardiance, Farsig, Entresto,
Januvia, Embrel, Imbruvia, Stelara, and insulin injections such as Fiasp
and Novolog. Medicare has spent over $12.8 billion on Eliquis alone between 2021 and 2023.
Per Administrator Brooks-LaSure, "This
announcement has been the most impactful for people. This is one of the
most exciting times in health coverage - and this has been the most
exciting week - to come to fruition. For the first time Medicare will
be able to negotiate drug prices on behalf of people with Medicare, and
the American Taxpayer. And this is step one! What we did was to
announce the first ten drugs selected for Medicare to negotiate. These
are drugs with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer. When
you look at the list of ten drugs, the people who take them spend
thousands of dollars on prescription drugs each year. There is a lot of
data we released as part of the announcement that really helped capture
what it means for people who are taking these drugs.
"Along side the drug negotiations there are
provisions in the law that are going to make these drugs more
affordable. Starting next year those who suffer from these conditions
are going to see a cap on their costs, because they are easily among
some of the highest costing drugs in the country. So we were really
excited that the President is really making good on his promise to the
American people to strengthen the Medicare program for today's Seniors,
and people with disabilities - as well as for generations to come."
Of course we all know that Big Pharma is loving
these measures like crazy. And I know that they have the full backing
of the repuglycon party. Correct? I'm sure that Brooks-LaSure is
their favorite person on the planet for doing God's work, and ensuring
that all Americans have the right to good health and appropriate medical
treatment. I mean, this has got to be the top thing on the agenda of
the repuglycon party - to make sure their constituents have the best
health at the lowest cost - Right??? Of course, you know I'm being
facetious. The only people the Repuglycons are concerned about are
their cronies who are financing efforts on their part to undermine any
advancements that do not line their pockets. So between them and Big
Pharma expect major push back. They're already trying to get the courts
to rule in their favor against the reductions in medical costs for
Americans.
Confirming this, Ms. Brooks-LaSure commented:
"As I know you know, the President passed the legislation in Congress,
and the party vote was very decisive on the Democratic side, and we did
not get Republican support, as you well know."
Big Pharma has a big lobby that they're trying
to levy against what CMS is trying to do. The challenge is how to
combat, or get around their madness? They're considered very powerful
because they're getting a boost from other private industries and right
wingnut greed. In addition to getting around that is the challenge of
getting the message out to the people - which is where they seem to
have the most difficulty. At every turn, President Biden has kept his
word, exceeded expectations, but some of these measures really don't
kick in until 2025 or 2026.
Sadly, most people are distracted by food and
housing costs, that are immediately under their noses, and don't have a
feel for things that are down the line. The other tragedy is the fact
that media spends more time covering the ignorant antics of the
opposition party (I did a little tongue in cheek there - you guys all
know who I'm talking about), and less than 1% covering the substantive
measures President Biden has already put in place and continues to
accomplish.
Per Administrator Brooks LaSure: "I think it's
critical for everyone to know that the law is already taking effect.
And you're right, we need to get the word out, because once people know
what's in the legislation, they are thrilled. And this year, right now,
some of the provisions of the law have already taken effect. So for
people who are already on Medicare, vaccines that are recommended by the
CDC are free. And some of those are expensive. The Shingles vaccine,
for example, before this legislation passed, could cost $300.00! And
now Seniors can get the Shingles vaccine for free thanks to the
legislation. The second provision that's already in effect is the
$35.00 cap per month on insulin products. Yesterday I met a man who
said just his insulin was $400.00 a month - now it's $35.00 a month. So
you can see seniors, people who depend on the Medicare program are
starting to experience savings. And next year, more provisions come
into effect.
"There's one people don't hear a lot about,
which takes effect next year is modest income seniors will qualify for
what we call "Extra Help." And people today who qualify for extra help
with their Medicare direct costs, and inflation reduction help, expands
that coverage so that more people will qualify next year. People can
call: 1-800-MEDICARE! They can talk to other counselors to see if they are eligible for that program."
According to Brooks-LaSure, moderate income
Seniors cap is 150% of the poverty level. which costs out to be
$21,870.00 for a family of one; $29,580 for a couple; $45,000 for a
family of four. And the next provision is for people with high drug
costs - such as insulin, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc., there
will be a cap on their out of pocket costs. And this is the first time
this has happened in the Medicare Program if you have prescription drug
coverage. In 2025 that cap will be $2000.00 for everybody.
With the diabetes gap being the start, and
with America having the highest percentage of osteoarthritis in the
world, I asked about anything plans for those sufferers in the near
future.
Administrator Brooks LaSure stated that one of
the drugs selected for negotiation is for Rheumatoid Arthritis, with
others up for consideration. But these drugs I'm speaking of now
constitute an aggregate is savings of well over $28 billion.
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Medicare
Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is the first Black Woman to head
Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) is working closely with President Joe Biden
to provide comprehensive affordable medical coverage for all Americans
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President Biden's Inflation Reduction Plan, and
his newest strategy dubbed "Bidenomics" clearly shows his commitment to
put more money in the pockets of Americans - building from the bottom
up and the middle out - a total departure from 40 years of "Reaganomics"
so called trickle down policy where the theory was that when the rich
got richer, the largesse would trickle down benevolently to those who
were less well off. The real result, and many well know, was middle
class and economically deprived Americans were trickled on instead -
with the rich removing industries to countries where they paid less for
cheap labor, while many Americans lost jobs, communities lost support,
and the cost of everything, including medication, housing, education
spiraled exponentially out of control - culminating in the economic
downturn of 2007.
While former President Barack Obama tried to
effect a more comprehensive medical system to cover all Americans, it
was challenged by the republycons, and delivered with much of what would
have benefited us on the chopping block. Still, it did bring about a
more comprehensive option for Americans who, heretofore, had no options.
Now, with the ability to negotiate the cost of
drugs, and bringing drug costs down for seniors to $2,000 per year, many
can begin to breathe a sigh of relief that they and their loved ones
can have better options for health care and receiving essential
medications.
Also for future consideration by CMS
Administrator Brooks-LaSure, are the costs of DMEs (durable medical
equipment) such as mobility scooters, in home hospital equipment, and
other essential items. I also inquired about the consideration of
having Stem Cell therapy covered by Medicare and Medicaid, which would
seriously speed recovery and mitigate the requirement of long term
medical and drug dependency. We have agreed to set that as a future
conversation.
Spoiler Alert: Big Pharma absolutely hates the
concept of anything that doesn't require long term medical dependency.
It's their stock in trade. SMH
President Joe Biden and CMS Administrator are
working together for y/0ur health. You can assist in the process by
keeping abreast of what's going on, and showing your appreciation for
the accomplishments in other areas as well. The meanstream media would
have you believe that little to nothing is being accomplished. It's up
to you to keep informed. In addition to reading ECLECTICALLY BLACK
NEWS, you can do some fact checking of your own.
President Biden, his administration, the
Democratic party and well meaning Americans are standing in the breach
of efforts to push America into a fascist regime where votes are
abrogated, women's rights are undermined, decent education is trashed,
judges are corrupt, and media is used as propaganda masquerading as the
news. We all have a responsibility to be informed and be involved.
NOW THAT YOU KNOW
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
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Gloria DULAN-Wilson
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