Medicare Plan Boosts Statins and Other Expensive Drugs

The catastrophic Medicare prescription drug bill that was passed in 2003 included a provision called the Part D program, which, as of 2006, granted prescription drug coverage to the elderly.The bill was strongly backed by drug makers in 2003 -- who spent at least $135 million lobbying for the bill -- and it’s no wonder why.The new prescription drug program has boosted the use of expensive name-brand drugs like statins and ulcer medications, according to an analysis. Specifically, the program increased sales of cholesterol-lowering statins by 7 percent, and sales of ulcer and heartburn drugs (proton pump inhibitors) by 5 percent.In all, Part D beneficiaries filled about 486 million prescriptions -- or 15 percent of all retail prescriptions -- in 2006.While the pharmaceutical companies are busy counting their money, the United States’ budget is about to bust. This Medicare bill was initially projected to cost $400 billion over a 10-year period, but more recent estimates put the real costs closer to $1.5 TRILLION.My best prescription for beating these alarming numbers? Instead of relying on Medicare, get healthy as soon as you can by living a natural, healthy lifestyle.


Reuters July 31, 2007