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Happy New Year, from Carol Shea-Porter

by: Dean Barker

Fri Dec 31, 2010 at 22:39:11 PM EST

Look what takes effect tomorrow:

Senior citizens -- a demographic that's skeptical of the bill -- will see real benefits. In 2011, the law will begin to close the Medicare Part D coverage gap -- the infamous "donut hole." Seniors who reach the donut hole will now receive a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs, the first step in a 10 year plan to fill the hole completely. Seniors will also now receive free annual checkups, screenings and other preventive care.

You will recall that Carol Shea-Porter's work in the House was instrumental in strengthening that part of the health care bill.

I think the reason the right-wing operatives in NH are forced to make stuff up about Carol is because her voting record and principles in congress have been impeccable these past four years.

Dean Barker :: Happy New Year, from Carol Shea-Porter

Tags: Seniors, Health Care, Medicare Part D, donut hole, Carol Shea-Porter, (All Tags)

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Happy New Year, from Carol Shea-Porter | 3 comments

You know, in retail, a fifty percent discount is really easy. (0.00 / 0)

It just means selling an item for cost, since the original mark-up was 100%. So, the producers of brand name pharmaceuticals get free advertising for taking no profit over and above their normal production, marketing and distribution costs.
Now, if these drugs were one-off products and taking one meant a cure and no need to take more, it would be a different story. But what we're talking about here is drug maintenance regimen which keeps people alive, but minimally productive -- another example of human husbandry.

by: hannah @ Sat Jan 01, 2011 at 09:24:10 AM UTC

As a retiree, as of today, (4.00 / 3)

I am extremely grateful to Carol for her work on the donut hole, since my husband and I go on Medicare today, and he will hit the donut hole sometime this summer. Closing that hole, over the next 4 years, will make our retirement much more viable, since we are just middle class by a hair.

I am also extremely disappointed in all the people in my age group who voted for Republicans in NH and across the country. If they had done a minimum of homework they would have realized who was on their side, instead of letting a bunch of TV ads stampede them into voting against their well-being.

by: Lucy Edwards @ Sat Jan 01, 2011 at 11:49:24 AM UTC

The full list of health law changes is impressive. (4.00 / 1)

The TPM article has a link to a Kaiser Foundation site with a comprehensive list of the schedule of changes on a year by year basis with explanations of each. Everyone this side of Daddy Warbucks and Scrooge McDuck will benefit from one or more of the changes.

So thanks are indeed due to Carol Shea-Porter, Paul Hodes, Senator Shaheen and President Obama for real change in the lives of people.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.

by: Paul Twomey @ Sat Jan 01, 2011 at 17:09:47 PM UTC

Happy New Year, from Carol Shea-Porter | 3 comments

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