Reader Responses

Two years ago, hundreds of older American activists gathered in Washington, D.C., delivering donut holes to congressional and senate offices in protest of the Medicare drug plan's (Part D) "donut hole" coverage gap.

We knew, and we warned, that this drug and insurance company-written plan, enacted by a compliant Congress, and signed by President Bush, and blessed as "the best we can get" by AARP, was problematic.

Last week, the Kaiser Family Foundation released the results of a joint research project with the University of Chicago and Georgetown University, confirming that seniors entering the "donut hole" give up critical life-supporting medications because of cost. About 3.4 million older Americans fell into that gap last year. Fifteen percent of those falling into the gap stopped their medicines due to high costs.

Alzheimers patients (8 percent) were least likely to give up their medicines. But, a frightening 16 percent gave up their high blood pressure medicines, and 10 percent of diabetes patients stopped buying their medicines. Others with painful chronic illnesses had much higher rates as 18 percent of patients with osteoporosis, and 20 percent of patients suffering from ulcers or acid reflux stopped buying their pain and condition palliative medicines.

The report does not project the number of deaths, impairments, and worsening of conditions from the discontinuance of those critical medications by seniors. But, it is not difficult to suppose that some occurred as a result. That tragedy belongs to Congress, Bush, the drug and insurance companies, and AARP which rolled over on "Part D."

The solution is quiet simple, very doable, and should become the first order of business for the next Congress. Allow Medicare, already proven to be a very cost-efficient administrator of health care, to take bids for drugs and buy in bulk as does the Veteran's Administration. The savings would enable the closing of the "coverage gap" and save lives.

Shane Fox, Vice President
Community Organizations
Texas Alliance
for Retired Americans