Let it not be said that high paying economists on the HMO dole are not shovel ready.....
Increasing choices, decreasing costs
The Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act of 2009 proposes increasing beneficiary choice and driving down costs by creating a Medicare-administered drug plan as an alternative to privately administered Part D plans. Additional provisions include:
- The Medicare-operated drug plan or plans would be available nationwide with a uniform monthly premium.
- The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality would assess clinical effectiveness and safety of drugs and recommend medications that should be included on the plan formulary.
- Drugs cannot be removed from a formulary during the plan year except in the case of safety concerns.
- An advisory committee would review petitions and make recommendations on whether to add drugs to the formulary.
- For drugs that provide similar benefits, the formulary would use incentives to encourage Medicare beneficiaries to choose the drug for which the HHS secretary was able to negotiate the lowest price.
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/02/09/gvsc0209.htmBack to top.
