diabetes Medicare Recepients More Deserving Than Disabled Vets

[jessejames]

As usual, disabled veterans are "not as worthy" as others, just a basic fact of life!!!!!!

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http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll...50387/1002/NEWS

Rallying for lower drug prices: Petitioners push Lott

AARP members want officials to negotiate prices for Medicare prescriptions

By Laura Hipp

lhipp@clarionledger.com

Mary Troupe, director of the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, addresses AARP Mississippi members during a rally in Jackson on Wednesday.

Florence resident Merline Wright, 70, and about 100 other people stood on the federal courthouse steps in Jackson holding plastic baggies packed with brown pill bottles and rallied to give federal officials the power to negotiate Medicare drug prices. But neither that display Wednesday nor petitions with more than 200 signatures presented to U.S. Sen. Trent Lott's Jackson office will sway the Republican lawmaker toward her cause, his spokesman said Wednesday. "There's no evidence that having the government interfere is going to lead to lower prices," said Lee Youngblood, the Mississippi Republican's press secretary. Still, representatives from AARP Mississippi presented the petitions to Lott's Jackson office Wednesday and rallied outside the federal courthouse in support of the idea. "They wait until we get old and gray to go up (on drug prices)," said Wright, 70. Wright's monthly supply of medication can run upward of $200. She has diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and other ailments. Shecuts pills in half to stretch her dollar.As for her doctor's opinion on her cost-cutting measures: "I don't tell him," she said. AARP chapters across the nation used similar rallies to pressure several key senators for support of the proposal. The bill passed the U.S. House in January and is heading to the Senate Finance Committee, on which Lott sits. Medicare, which serves about 465,000 Mississippians, began covering prescriptions for the first time in 2006. The program is estimated to save individuals about $1,200 annually in medical care. However, federal law blocks government officials from negotiating drug prices. Drug prices are established by private pharmaceutical firms.Mostly Democrats now support an effort to let Medicare negotiate. Lott has received phone calls from AARP members at his offices across the state and in Washington, D.C., Youngblood said. "The calls we've got that are generated by AARP are basically people saying we like Medicare the way it is," he said. Lott has too many concerns about the proposal, including whether it could limit access to types of medication, Youngblood said. He pointed to the Department of Veterans' Affairs, which can negotiate drug prices, as proof the plan would not work. He said VA officials are urging patients to transfer to Medicare, which covers 3,000 more prescriptions than the VA offers. Some in Mississippi simply want prices lowered.

An AARP-conducted survey of 500 Mississippians showed that 89 percent of those who were asked support government negotiations.

[Pete53]

The VA told me to get charity dental work.

[john999]

Lott is a liar and a racist. It is time for him to retie and go work as a consultant for the drug companies like the rest of his buddies.

[Ricky]

Heard Romney on a talk show today. I forgot what he was talking about but he made a wierd statement - well yes we always must take care of our citizens - (bread in speaking) plus our service men.

It appears the "service men" was an after thought. This not to pick on him as they all feel the same way. I guess we just ain't citizens guy and gals. Just goes along with this post - Washington guys will simply never place Veterans where they need to be. In their eyes they have more important things to fund such as programs to take care of single guys and gals with 4 babies and the thought that the more they make the more they will get. Its really shi__y to be a vet some time. Don't matter though even if they are not proud of me I am proud of me and all veterans.