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by Don Azarias
April 17, 2011
A compilation of recently released polls as reported by the Associated Press (AP) indicated that majority of those respondents said they were not pleased with the health care reform legislation passed by congressional lawmakers and signed into law by President Barack Obama. The American voters worry that the new law will alter and diminish the quality of care and jack up the overall costs of individual health care insurance and patients’ medical care.
The result of a recent AP survey found that 54 percent of seniors opposed the health care reform law, compared with 36 percent of people age 18-50. Also, a new AP poll finds Americans opposed the health care remake 50 percent to 39 percent. Disapproval of Obama’s handling of health care also increased from 46 percent before he signed the bill, to 52 percent currently.
It would be worthwhile for everyone to know that Republicans, in reality, don’t favor a complete repeal of the law. They’d rather see a scaled-down, market-driven law that still provides expanded access to health care.
The new polls suggest that Democrats still have a big job of selling the health care reforms to the anxious public as Americans try to learn more about what the new law means for them. Public skepticism about the new law with regard to costs and quality of care remains high as evidenced by recent polls:
*Costs: According to a Washington Post poll, 55 percent of Americans expect their own costs for health care to be higher because of the reforms, and 60 percent say the nation’s overall health tab will rise. Only 16 percent predict that medical spending in the US will be lower because of the law. Separately, a USA Today/Gallup poll found 64 percent saying the law “will cost the government too much.”
*Quality of care: The Washington Post poll also found that 44 percent anticipate that the quality of their care will decline as a result of the reforms, while only 18 percent expect health care quality to rise.
Similarly, 49 percent in a Rasmussen Reports survey said they think the quality of care will be adversely affected. In response to a more general question, 39 percent of respondents in a CNN/Opinion Research poll say they expect the law would make them and their family worse off, while 22 percent said “better off.” In both, the CNN and Washington Post surveys, a majority of Americans cite negative overall feelings about the reform, with 26 percent in each poll outright “angry” about it.
A potential headache for Obama and his Democratic allies looms as a movement to repeal the law could even gain traction. The Rasmussen survey finds Americans favoring repeal by a 54-to-42 margin. Of course, most of us know that a Senate vote to repeal would fail. And, even if it passed, Obama would veto it and Republican lawmakers may not have enough votes to override his veto.
While Democrats hail the overhaul as their greatest health care achievement since Medicare, seniors fear that they will be unfairly penalized due to cuts in the Medicare program in order to pay for health care coverage of younger, uninsured workers and their families.
For this year, more than 3 million seniors will fall into a Medicare prescription coverage gap called the “doughnut hole” or “donut hole”. For the readers’ information, “doughnut hole” also known as “coverage gap”, means that if you are a retiree and have a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the “doughnut hole” is when Medicare temporarily stops paying for your prescriptions.
This is how the doughnut hole comes into play based on the standard Part D drug prescription plan for 2011 required by Medicare:
* If you join a Medicare prescription drug plan, you may have to pay up to the first $310 of your drug costs. This is known as the “deductible”.
* During the initial coverage phase, you pay a “copayment” or “coinsurance”, and your Part D drug plan pays its share for each covered drug until your combined amount (including your deductible) reaches $2840.
* Once you and your Part D drug plan have spent $2,840 for covered drugs, you will be in the doughnut hole. Previously, you had to pay the full cost of your prescription drugs while in the doughnut hole.
However, in 2011, you get a 50% discount on covered brand-name prescription medications. The doughnut hole continues until your total out-of-pocket cost reaches $4,550. This annual out-of-pocket spending amount includes your yearly deductible, copayment, and coinsurance amounts.
* When you spend more than $4,550 out-of-pocket, the coverage gap ends and your drug plan pays most of the costs of your covered drugs for the remainder of the year. You will then be responsible for a small copayment. This is known as catastrophic coverage. Good news for seniors? Yes and No. For your information, closing Medicare’s prescription coverage gap won’t be fully realized until 2020. That’s a long time for seniors, like most of us, who are “too old” and who may not even enjoy this benefit.
It is important to understand that your Part D prescription drug plan may differ from the standard Medicare plan only if the plan offers you a better benefit. For example, your plan can eliminate or lower the amount of the deductible. And, your plan can pay for generic or brand name medications in the coverage gap.
Politically, Americans are polarized. Democrats support the overhaul by 68 percent to 18 percent, while Republicans oppose it 85 percent to 9 percent. Independents are roughly even, with 44 percent opposed and 40 percent in favor.
Personally, I think there’s really no clear-cut winner yet between those in favor and those against the health care reform law. Economists’ and analysts’ opinions on this matter differ and their contentions are supported by their scholarly and powerful arguments regarding the pros and cons. Until the new health care reform law takes effect, and is in full force, there’s really no way for anyone to know if the health care reform is good or bad. I’m cognizant of the fact that the polls are tilting toward the GOP’s favor. And while I’m a Fil-Am Republican, I chose not to take a partisan position at this time and try to be as objective as I can. I’ll leave it to you to rationalize the situation and make your own conclusion. And, for the sake of all those beneficiaries and participants in the affordable health care insurance program, let’s just hope that those political leaders made the right decision.