Fixed Income Medicare Blues

I know I haven’t been posting lately compared to my DrugMonkey and Angriest counterparts.  Don’t feel like getting into politics here and I dont like to rehash stuff (too much).  Had to reprime the angry-reserves. 🙂

People always sing to me the ‘I’m on a fixed income” blues when they are paying their Medicare Part-D $3.10 copays for their $200 Nexium Rx.  Oh, how soon these idiots forget what life was like before Medicare Part-D took effect.  Did they somehow forget paying full price out of pocket for their medications?  Why is now $3.10 so much of a financial drain on their “fixed income” when just 4 years ago they were paying 10x that amount with a smile on their face.  I really do get a huge hard-on when I bring up how much they were paying before Part-D and how they are only paying $3.10 (which makes them feel like huge ungrateful douches).

Medicare Part D has spoiled seniors, plain and simple.  They are so hung up on their “fixed income” that they have completely lost sight that the people who are footing the bill for their expensive medications are the same people who will never ever see a dime of the money that they contributed to the system.  They also fail to see how Medicare is pretty much socialized medicine for people over 65, and we can see how well THATS going.  Medicare recipients complaining how we should have socialized medicine in this country just makes my irony meter fly off of the chart.

What do you expect from old people other than cow eyes, the same question asked every week, and bitching about $3.10 copays.

Comments #

Comment by Google Account on 2008-10-17 00:05:04 -0700 #

That “fixed income” line has always chapped my ass. What the hell does it mean exactly anyway?
I know, I know….it’s meant to be some retired person who’s living off their pension/savings? Ok….sure, you’ve only got a limited amount of savings…..but last time I checked you’ve got lots of free time. Get a job as a greeter at Walmart if things are that tight.
You know who is on a “fixed income”? Me…that’s who. And just about everyone else. I don’t know where this magical money-pot is that the “fixed-income” whiners think the rest of us have access to….but if any of you guys know, help me out.
I mean seriously. I work full time. I get paid by the hour. There are only so many hours in the day, and my employer doesn’t like me just hanging around to collect overtime. I’m on a fixed income! So don’t whine to me about yours.
Yeah, Mr & Mrs Retired might have a smaller fixed income than me, but they probably don’t have a $500,000 mortgage on a house that’s dropping in value by the week at the moment either. Seems like a fair trade-off.
So yeah…until I A)get a second job B) get a second “job” selling my ass down on 8th Avenue or C) find that magical money pot….. I’m on a fixed income.
Ren

Comment by Sara on 2008-10-17 08:05:44 -0700 #

Amen to that…especially about the Nexium. People who work and have insurance can’t even get Nexium because most insurances think that you can just take Prilosec. I can, but I have a friend who can’t and really needs Nexium. Instead she is probably overmedicating herself with multiple OTC meds to make herself feel half way decent.
I think it is worse when Medicaid people act like entitlement bitches about thier free scripts…just sayin.

Comment by Google Account on 2008-10-17 10:26:23 -0700 #

Funny thing is you never used to hear people bitched about their ‘fixed income’ prior to Part D. They’ve kind of gone the way of the Medicaid patients. I’ve even got a few who state that now we should just give it to them for free so we can ‘respect our elder’s. How that makes sense, I have no clue.

Comment by GingerB on 2008-10-17 13:00:44 -0700 #

They’re all getting 5-6% increase from social security next January. I wouldn’t mind a “fix” like that to my income.

Comment by rph3664 on 2008-10-17 17:03:13 -0700 #

When I worked retail, I too was on a fixed income because I was salaried. I’m paid by the hour now, which is nice because if I work overtime, I GET PAID FOR IT.
And the people who whine the most about paying for their drugs are the ones who are basically healthy and probably have a million dollars stuffed in a mattress somewhere, but 99% of the people reading this already knew that.

Comment by Lipstickatthemailbox on 2008-10-17 19:32:03 -0700 #

Welcome back TAP! I have missed you!
Totally agree with you about the fixed income bit.

Comment by Google Account on 2008-10-17 20:03:48 -0700 #

come to think of it… unless you are a member of the British Royal Family… we ARE ALL ON FIXED INCOMES, for heaven’s sake! I am not blessed with an unlimited income, which, imho, is the ‘opposite’ of a fixed income.
I’m not even sorry that I have to ROLL MY EYES to the back of my head when I hear someone say “Oh my gosh, the copay is so high!” when the technician tells them their copay is $3.10 for their $300 worth of Lipitor, while they get their Calcium Carbonate for FREE and their Docusate for FREE since we run that thru Medi-Cal.

Comment by Benedict on 2008-10-18 05:04:15 -0700 #

If Socialised medicine is so bad – why does 40mg Nexium cost Australians AUD$60 (less than USD$40) for a month(30) supply?

Comment by M2Pilot on 2008-10-18 16:22:39 -0700 #

Beg to differ with Google Account. Some older folk have been whining about being on a fixed income since I got my license in ’71. I wish my income was “fixed” as nice as that of some of the loudest,most obnoxious whiners.

Comment by sinfulemerald on 2008-10-18 19:45:23 -0700 #

what I love are the people coming through drive thru with their hummers, caddys, and bmws and complaining about a 5 dollar copay. Oh and did I mention they were wearing fur too. It makes me want to shove the prescription down their throat

Comment by Google Account on 2008-10-19 08:44:32 -0700 #

I get so fed up with the “fixed income” comments when I am covering the front desk at the clinic. It has to be NICE to know that you will have the same amount of money coming in every month. I’m hourly so if I don’t work I do not have income at all.

Comment by ADHD CPhT on 2008-10-19 18:40:32 -0700 #

You know, I hate hearing the fixed income bullshit too. I’m a student, no insurance, poor as shit, don’t qualify for any Rx aid except from my friends at GlaxoSmithKline.
Those old fuckers really burn my ass.

Comment by ClerkBoy on 2008-10-19 18:59:36 -0700 #

Most MMA patients we get pay $12 generics and $45 brand name per 30 days. Lots of people getting cozaar and fosamax D for $135 max 100day supply.

Comment by Pharmacy chick on 2008-10-19 21:45:07 -0700 #

Ya know what? we are ALL on fixed income. I cannot increase my income at will. My income is “fixed” at whatever my company pays me. And if the Dow doesnt’ do something positive soon, I’ll be collecting fixed paychecks til I am a hundred years old…

Comment by Christine on 2008-10-20 05:19:02 -0700 #

I’m living off a fixed income too. My employer pays me the same amount each month.

Comment by chilihead on 2008-10-20 12:53:37 -0700 #

I just heard on the radio over the past week that social security benefits will soon be increased by the highest rate in many years, and that is a “fixed” income?
I’ve known people who busted their asses for ingrate companies that constantly found excuses not to give them raises. Of course, they wrung their hands in distress whenever there was a mass exodus of employees and felt the need to blame one another employee, instead of considering the “fixed income” they imposed on their hardworking staff. Those employees would all have loved to have a 6% cost-of-living increase in their paychecks as well as “free” gubbamint health insurance and $3 co-pays if and when they needed medicine.
Times are tough. Take on a part time job or at least do some temping. There are some easy ones out there. Plus you still get the social security check for NOT working.
Some people are on a negative income! I heard on the news a few months ago about teachers who had to agree on a pay cut to keep all their jobs, to prevent layoffs. So I do not like to hear anyone bitching about a fixed income when there is so much unemployment out there. At least they have an income.

:(

Comment by Google Account on 2008-10-21 15:05:08 -0700 #

Wouldn’t the Medicare recipient who is complaining about socialized medicine or the threat of socialized medicine be more ironic?

Comment by steph on 2008-10-21 21:56:35 -0700 #

Benedict, my dear, how much do Australians pay in taxes to subsidize your overpriced Nexium? I mean in addition to your AUD$60 per month?
We Americans, too, subsidize your medications. The drug companies can charge you all less because they make up for it here, where insurance companies pay more for medications. That’s the trouble with all you socialists–you still believe everything is “free” when nothing is free. Everything worth having has a price.

Comment by AJ on 2008-10-29 08:53:46 -0700 #

Um, isn’t the problem that the prescription is $200 in the first place, as the drug reps wine and dine the doctors to get them to write it?

Comment by Out for Life on 2008-11-15 08:56:15 -0800 #

Great post. Basically, the Medicare part D program got pushed through by political blackmail (ie. we’re seniors, and we vote, and we want free drugs or else waaaaaaaaah!!!!). Some old political sage made a great point: Democracies are doomed to fail, since sooner or later people will realize they can vote themselves benefits from the tax coffers. Basically, America is becoming a society of loafers. Lazy butts who think someone else ought to pick up the tab because they don’t feel like it, or they’ve made irresponsible decision after irresponsible decion, but gee whiz they just don’t want to pay the consequences. Just look at that chick during the election “Now I don’t have to pay my mortgage” How stupid. This is a perfect example of this. The old farts used the threat of the vote to get themselves a drug plan payed for by everyone else. Why? The were irresponsible in their younger days and didn’t save. Period, end of story. Fixed income my arse. Everyone’s on a fixed income. Just wait free loaders till the hard workers bag it or send their money to Panama and leave you sitting in the swill you deserve.

Comment by C.M. on 2010-04-27 07:49:51 -0700 #

I also get tired of these Greedy Geezers whining about “living on a fixed income.” Due to the economy, I made the same salary in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. At the end of 2008 I had to take a pay cut. I should be lucky, some of my co-workers lost their jobs. They also live on a “fixed income” — an income of zero.

What the Greedy Geezers call a “fixed income” boils down to this: a guaranteed check every month. Guaranteed to go up with inflation. It’s doesn’t get much better than that, you whiny old farts.

Comment by 4wheelinGrammy on 2010-10-16 09:48:19 -0700 #

The last time I heard, there will be no Social Security increase next January! That’s really beside my point however,other than to point out that we need to get our facts straight before voicing an opinion. The above writers are correct in saying that being on a fixed income is not exclusive to retired people, but I would also offer that the vast majority of retired people are not out purchasing $500,00 homes. Do you know why they are not purchasing those expensive homes? It is because they know the potential rising costs of medical and general living expensives that lie ahead as they age on their fixed incomes. They anticipate what is “over the hill” so to speak, out of their sight yet, a concept well known to survivalists. Although not a proponent of whining myself, I empathize with their reasons and right to whine. The angry Pharmaist above certainly seems to have some personal greed issues of his own to sort out.

Comment by Betsy R on 2010-11-28 21:49:39 -0800 #

I have been on Soc Sec eight years now. I am on a “fixed income” that comes in regularly once a month, and I can lay around all I want and still get if. If I blow my monthly check, it’s my fault. Yes, I do like my Medicare D.

I consider myself quite lucky to be getting this monthly check while the working stiffs keep getting gouged with higher copays and everything else that cuts into their pay.

“Fixed income” was the years when I worked sick and went four years without getting a raise while my health insurance costs went up constantly with the media going off about the children and the seniors going hungry and not being able to pay their bills. I could not afford a chest of drawers back then. Back then if I ran out of sick pay, I’d get docked for staying off work and get threatened with job loss. That was before I became a welfare worker and learned the survival ropes.

I been a welfare worker before, folks, and I’ve seen all that irresponsibility up front. People on welfare think the doctors and nurses are gonna fix them. For the most part, unless a doc is something like a surgeon, docs don’t do anything at all. They give advice. They usually write take this or that substance on paper and it’s up to the patient to take the advice.

I am no fan of the medical profession, but the average welfare recipient has no interest in complying with medical advice.

Comment by Betsy R on 2010-11-28 21:53:05 -0800 #

Oh folks, another jewel from my welfare years: not many companies give raises anymore. A lot of people who come in welfare offices work, but get extra help with food and medical cause they do not make much money.

Nevertheless, even by looking at the lower end of the wage spectrum, I have seen a lot of paystubs that are very representative of the average American employer. Most working stiffs do not get regular raises!