Rationing Begins: States Limiting Drug Prescriptions for Medicaid Patients

Here we go and its not even 2014 yet... Is there more to come. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to controlling unknown costs. They could just as easily make the same types of decisions regarding therapy and surgery as well as other preventative measures.

sixteen states have set a limit on the number of prescription drugs they will cover for Medicaid patients, according to Kaiser Health News.

Seven of those states, according to Kaiser Health News, have enacted or tightened those limits in just the last two years.

Medicaid is a federal program that is carried out in partnership with state governments. It forms an important element of President Barack Obama's health-care plan because under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act--AKA Obamcare--a larger number of people will be covered by Medicaid, as the income cap is raised for the program.

With both the expanded Medicaid program and the federal subsidy for health-care premiums that will be available to people earning up to 400 percent of the poverty level, a larger percentage of the population will be wholly or partially dependent on the government for their health care under Obamacare than are now.

Good Luck!!

For those who said this would never happen.... Really? Still want to defend that statement

In Alabama, Medicaid patients are now limited to one brand-name drug, and HIV and psychiatric drugs are excluded.

Illinois has limited Medicaid patients to just four prescription drugs as a cost-cutting move, and patients who need more than four must get permission from the state.

Arkansas, California, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia have all placed caps on the number of prescription drugs Medicaid patients can get.

cnsnews.com...

www.kaiserhealthnews.org...

reply to post by jibeho


Are you suggesting that we take Medicaid completely out of States hands?

Might not be a bad idea if they are using peoples health issues for Political warmongering.

reply to post by BritofTexas


I think its time to start over and address the problems within our existing systems. This new panacea approach dubbed Obamacare is not the answer. They never addressed our existing problems when they designed it. They just created a new pile of problems in the process.

I'm all for putting more power in the states hands and in this case of rationing though many said it would never happen and that is was just a talking point for those who opposed the Affordable Healthcare Act. The States don't know what to prepare for down the road so they are taking initial steps to prep for the big hit.

reply to post by jibeho


I just started a thread on a government task force saying prostate exams aren't necessary and are too expensive.


www.abovetopsecret.com...

This is just another method in the herd culling. People that are led around by their noses through social and commercial programming, eating McDonald's, eating their GMO foods, drinking their aspartame, all of which is done on their derrieres, getting fat, unhealthy and useless, have no claim to publicly supported services.

TPTB are correct in their assessment of us.

reply to post by jibeho


This may have more to do with the demand that the recession has placed on the medicaid program. There has been about a ten percent increase in the deman on medicaid services.

It is better to cover all people a little bit then leave a lot of people uncovered.

reply to post by beezzer


I see you are here spreading the news. Get back in your cage there bunny.

If only Obamacare could have covered important issues, such as the rising cost of drugs. But nope, we got 1500 pages of crap.

Originally posted by rickymouse
reply to post by beezzer

 

I see you are here spreading the news. Get back in your cage there bunny.

Look, you brought up some valid points.

But

Testing is not intrusive!

And yes, I'm here because rationing is rationing.

reply to post by beezzer


Rather than rationing, maybe we should look at as an addiction treatment. I'm all for health care being performed and carried out at the State levels, so that the people of that state community can start having a say in the health of the community.

All that has been happening thus far with medicaid and medicare is that good tax dollars are being thrown at the bad.

Originally posted by Witness2008
reply to post by beezzer

 

Rather than rationing, maybe we should look at as an addiction treatment. I'm all for health care being performed and carried out at the State levels, so that the people of that state community can start having a say in the health of the community.

All that has been happening thus far with medicaid and medicare is that good tax dollars are being thrown at the bad.

Rather than looking at it as addicton treatment, maybe we should look at having medical personnel treat the patients without government oversight.

reply to post by beezzer


You should have told me to crawl under a stump. I'm just jesting

reply to post by beezzer



Why? So doctors can continue to rip off the public while enriching the medical and pharmaceutical complex?

We are one very unhealthy nation, getting sicker by the day. There is no end in sight unless we start to live healthier lives. And the only way that is going to happen is if we start to insist upon it. People that do not take responsibility for their own health are taking it at both ends from the corporate rapists, and the rest of us have to pay to watch it.

reply to post by Witness2008
If you think government bean counters have your best interest at heart OVER doctors, then . . . . . bully for you, I guess.

The next time I'm sick though, I'm going to see a doc. You can make an appointment with your rep!

Originally posted by beezzer
reply to post by Witness2008

 

If you think government bean counters have your best interest at heart OVER doctors, then . . . . . bully for you, I guess.

The next time I'm sick though, I'm going to see a doc. You can make an appointment with your rep!

Hell, stay away from BOTH!! Those folks will kill ya!

When I'm sick, I usually lay out in the sun, drink as much water as I can stand without puking, cut all sugar out of my diet, and sleep it off.

If I break my leg, I'll go see a doctor, or if I've already identified my symptoms on Google, and come up with a treatment plan, I'll go see a doctor for my prescriptions, but I'm not a fan of letting a doctor "practice" their trade on me.

Originally posted by getreadyalready

Originally posted by beezzer
reply to post by Witness2008

 

If you think government bean counters have your best interest at heart OVER doctors, then . . . . . bully for you, I guess.

The next time I'm sick though, I'm going to see a doc. You can make an appointment with your rep!

Hell, stay away from BOTH!! Those folks will kill ya!

When I'm sick, I usually lay out in the sun, drink as much water as I can stand without puking, cut all sugar out of my diet, and sleep it off.

If I break my leg, I'll go see a doctor, or if I've already identified my symptoms on Google, and come up with a treatment plan, I'll go see a doctor for my prescriptions, but I'm not a fan of letting a doctor "practice" their trade on me.

I'm married to a nurse, so I have that covered. Plus I come from a family where we didn't see a doc unless the bone was broken or the bleeding didn't stop.

reply to post by beezzer


No appointments needed for me. I take care of myself, you'll not see me taking handouts of public services. In the end whether healthcare for the indigent or elderly is carried out by the State or Feds, the only people benefiting are the medical and pharmaceutical complex.

Let's face it....they don't make money on keeping folks healthy. The only arguments I see going on is how best to funnel our money to people who haven't earned it.

This could be a good thing. Prescription drugs are poison and can kill you.
Those denied prescriptions should look elsewhere for what will help them.
Even the weeds in their yard (if they have one) can help. Dandelions are a good example. I have a lot of them and keep them growing. In spring they are sweet and can be eaten like lettuce. As the weather warms they become somewhat bitter.

reply to post by OhZone



Yep. The pharmaceutical companies use nature, why shouldn't we, I know I do long with every member of my family except for my folks. They have that "worship of authority" paradigm firmly and irreversibly intact, and they are unhealthy for it.

Corporate America has fed you the sweet tasting poison, and corporate America will feed you the pablum needed to die slowly while picking your pockets.

I don't see how anyone can debate health care. There is no healthcare in this country.

In Alabama, Medicaid patients are now limited to one brand-name drug, and HIV and psychiatric drugs are excluded.

Illinois has limited Medicaid patients to just four prescription drugs as a cost-cutting move, and patients who need more than four must get permission from the state.

Both are good moves. Generics save money and it will cut down on the number of crap drugs taken. people will be more likely to get the drugs they need instead of those drugs that really don't do much like the restless legs syndrome drugs.

Now, the drug companies are not going to like this. Perhaps if they didn't charge Americans more than any other country for drugs, the states wouldn't have to place limits on drug purchases.