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Show The Salt Lake Tribune UTAH/NATION_ GOP, Democrat math Overhauling Medicare run health insurance for older and disabled Americans, effective in 2006: in the Medicarebill THE ASSOCIATED PREss WASHINGTON — The Bush administration says an elderly American who now pays $3,600 a year for prescription drugs would have annual drug spending cut by 60 percent under the Medicare bill. Democrats looking at the GOP-backed bill say that same Medicare beneficiary still would be expected to cover 70 percentof annual drug costs. And, of course, there is an estimated annual premium of $420. Total out-of-pocket spending would be $250 plus $500 plus $1,350 plus $420, or $2,520, Democrats say. Republicans say that Demo- $2,520. premium,a standard insurance vantage at every turn. In this situation, Republican proponents of the legislation make a critical assumption about potential savings that could result from the prescription drug benefit. And they omit the cost of the annual premium altogether. Both calculations agree that this beneficiary would have to pay the same $250 deductible and the same 25 percentof drug costs between $250 and$2,250, or $500. That works outto $750. Here’s where things get interesting. Democrats say it is Medicare overhaulis stuck in House e Continued from Al a price tag of $395 billion, just underthe $400 billion cap set by the president and congressional Republicans. President Bush made his calls on the trip home from a state visit to England as Republican leaders worked to hand him. a legislative and political victory and Democrats dug in to $35 a month ($420 ayear) je Deductible Coverage $250 75% of drug costs up to $2,250 : ss Gap No coverage for drug costs between Catastrophic For costs above $3,600, covers 95%of cost or coverage requires a co-payment Low-income subsidies Premium, deductible and coverage gap waived for people earning less than $12,123 a year; phased out around $13,500; must have less than $6,000 in liquid assets Company Tax-free subsidies to employers who maintain incentive drug coverageforretirees Administration Byprivate firms on a regional basis Doctor, other out-of-hospital coverage (Part B) crats understate the savings. Premium Increases on sliding scale for those with incomes above $80,000 industry practice in determining benefits. A Department of Deductible Increases in 2005 to $110 from $100 Health and Human Services New benefits Covers initial doctor's visit for new beneficiaries; briefing paper for reporters says the savings are what seniors will receive “in exchange for a monthly premium.” The administration’s calculations also assume that the price for most prescription drugs will decline by 20 percent, what the department calls a “cost managementsavings.” Company $12 billion in subsidies to private insurers that incentive offer health plans; beginning 2010, Medicare would face competition from private plans Medicare savings accounts Tax shelters for individuals with deductibles above $1,000, couples above $2,000; money must be used for health expenses “The market doesn’t work KRI Source: AP Tom Scully, administrator of longer pay retail price, but a the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. discounted price negotiated by the pharmacy benefit manager When they join drug plans, that will run the plan. Scully said, seniors will no intended to vote. Facing defections, Republicans conceded they would likely Republicans say the senior new tax-preferred health accounts, open to individuals with high-deductible insurance The measure also included Medicare down that path to- Leader NancyPelosi labored to prevent that, having called opposition a “party position.” Approval of the bill would send it to the Senate, where the billions of dollars to discourage ward privatization.” White House officials said ier — in part because of the decision of a growing numberof Democrats to support the measure. Thebill’s scope wasvast. Beginning next year, seniors would be able to purchase discount drug cards that the Bush administration estimates would yield savings of between 15 per- The tax provision and re- favor transforming Medicare and re- providing a modern Medicare straining its cost, yet find creation of the new prescription system,” the president said shortly after walking off Marine Oneat the White House. quirementfor higher premiums were part of an effort to appeal to conservatives who drug benefit distasteful. Many Democrats argued that some of the conservative- program would expire in 2006, periment in direct competition between private plans and traditional Medicare beginning in 2010. At least one lawmaker who took a presidential phone call Thebill also encouragesprivate insurance companies to establish new managed care “This is a defining issue,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D- was unmoved. plans for seniors, either as pre- “T basically said it was a matter of principle, that I came ferred provider organizations or HMOs. While Medicare cur- to Washington notto ratify and rently includes an option for private coverage, most beneficiaries currently receive their Utah Division of Wildlife Re sources (DWR) Springville office hear frequently. In 2001, Karl Malone, then playing for the Utah Jazz, contributed $100,000 to help the DWR acquire 32 bighorn sheep from Alberta, Canada. The animals werereleased in Rock Canyon. The Hutchingses say they rarely saw the wild sheep the first year or so, and then only at a distance. That changedthis summer. “There is a group of22 or 30 .. and another of about 15, but one Sunday wehad41 here,” said Del Hutchings, whobuilt his new home next to his previous resi dence. “We had two ewes get were buildingit.” After watching the animals tear apart his new lawn, Del Hutchings thought he would try something different to scare awaythe sheep and turnedonthe sprinklers. “They were using them like a WaterPik. It was crazy,” hesaid. “There werefour of them on each [sprinkler] head. Instead of wa tering the lawn, I was watering the sheep.” Waterandyard greenery may have been what brought the big hornsto the neighborhoodin the first place. “With the drought the last couple of years they kept coming lower and they found lush green grass and flowers to munchon,” said Craig Clyde, a DWR wildlife biologist who chases off the sheep when the public calls. “They started doing that and they were teaching it to the young.” Young rams were probably the first sheep to discover the constant water source andfeed, followed by the females. Now sheep of all ages are dining al fresco. November and Decemberare mating months for bighorn, and the males are competing forfe- males. the most interesting sound yor have ever heard,” said Amanda Hutchings. The risk of being injured by the hormone-driven rams ig minimal, according to Clyde “The threat is very, very slight. I’ve been within five feet of them andfelt safe,” he said. “People say they have been bluff charged, but I think they are, morescared of humans than we are of them.” The Hutchings family is not the only one having wild sheep issues. Oneresident near Rock Canyon needs a newpaint job on his Corvette after several bighorns decided that the covered car lookedlike a fun boulder. “They were jumping upon it, playing a sheep version of king of Bunker Hill. It is the natura? thing for themto do,” Clydesaid. Another resident reported that a ram jumpedon a covered Jacuzzi and lightly butted heads with his ownreflection in a win:’ dow, Still, perhaps there are benefits to backyard bighorns. “They keep the thing mowed,” Del Hutchingssaid. DWRofficials have tried to capture someof the repeat of-. fenders for relocation, but have only managed to get two into ground nets. One was taken to the mouth of American Fork Canyon, but he returned to Rock Canyon, about 11 miles away, in four days. The other was released becausebiologists feel it is necessary to move them in groups. “They are a social animal. You can’t move just one or two at a time,” Clydesaid. ° Biologists hope that snow and the continuedrut will stress the animals enoughto allow them to be lured with food bait and captured in numbers. Clydesaid the goal is to relocate 15 of the animals to Mount Nebo, where there is no herd now. Meanwhile, the Hutchingses will continue to clean up after their wild neighbors and hope theystayoff the roof and cars. “Theyreally are cool to see in your back yard,” Amanda Hutchings said. “Just not so many andsooften.” bpretty@sltrib com too dear a price to pay for the cent and 25 percent. The card grams,” said Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla. “He wasn’t happy to hear e Continued from Al “We watched thembutt heads a little bit in the back yard. It ig backed elements ofthe bill were drug benefit, in particular a provision creating a limited ex- to expand Great Society pro- Bush madeseveral calls while flying home.“It is an important time for members of the United States Congress to honor our obligation to our seniors by access to a prescription drug benefit for the first time. that,” the first-term lawmaker added of the president. Two other first-term lawmakers, Reps. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Trent Franks of Arizona, got the presidential pitch as well. Neither would disclose how they rejecting the measure. “This bill is a huge giveawayto the prescription drug companies. And worstof all, this bill shoves policies. when beneficiaries would gain defeat the measure, would pay $250 plus $500 plus $630, the total cost of drugs in the coverage gap between $2,250 and $2,880. Thus, this senior would spend$1,380, theysay. need a handful of Democrats to prevail. House Democratic companies from reducing coverage for their retirees. Bighorns in back yard are no longer fun trapped in the house when we screening for diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer; coordinated care for those with chronicillness for seniors because they are buying in groupsof one,” said path to passage seemed far eas- Americans, at the sametimeit would usherin a new era ofprivate health coveragefor seniors who choose it over traditional Medicare. The measure carried Premium $2,250 and $3,600 roughly $5,000 in drug bills. First, the administration leaves out the estimated $420 yearly Who’s right? It all depends. Both sides in the debate over the complex Medicare bill are trying to use numbers to their ad- Prescription drug benefit relatively straightforward to come up with a total. The beneficiary would have to pay the rest of a $3,600 annual drug bill — $1,350 — because there would be no coverage above $2,250 until a person had incurred Republicans say this hypothetical senior would spend $1,380 under their plan. Democrats say the number would be } Details of the tentative congressional agreement to provide a drug benefit and change government- varies on drug savings An Saturday, November: YD 2003 Mass, as he madethe case for health care as a_ standard, government-defined benefit. For the first time, the legis- lation would also require se- Chimney Cleaning 60% of Residentialfires last year were chimneyfires ¢ Full services & repairs on fireplaces, stoves, gas, wood,pallet. * Vent & duct cleaning niors with annual incomes over Chim-Chimney $80,000 to pay higher premiums under Medicare Part B, which covers services outside the hos- pital. Also, it would establish All maj cards accepted Serving all of Utah Don't Wait! 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