The Cost Of Pharmaceuticals Prescription Drug Prices And...

The Cost Of Pharmaceuticals Prescription Drug Prices And...
The Cost of Pharmaceuticals: Prescription Drug Prices and Retail Mark Up Diandra Hopkins American Public University Anyone who has purchased
prescription medication has probably wondered why they cost so much. The pharmaceutical industry consist of thousands of firms engaged in one or
several functions of discovering, developing, manufacturing and marketing medicines for human use. The price paid to a retail pharmacy for a drug
is negotiated by the PBM (Pharmacy Benefit Manager) and the pharmacy or pharmacy chain. The pharmacy is left with an option of refusing the
business, raising its prices for cash customers or reducing its operation margin. Rising prices for goods encourage producers to find ways of supplying
more also guiding purchasers to switch to cheaper alternatives. The price mechanism encourages the productive and careful employment of scarce
resources and directs innovative efforts where they are most needed. Analyses of pharmaceutical pricing are complicated by the intricacies of this
market. The process by which drug prices are determined is highly complex, involving numerous interactions and arrangements among manufacturers,
whole salers ,retailers, insurers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and consumers. There are many instances, a manufacturer will provide a cash
rebate to an insurer or PBM if the manufacturer's drugs are used by the insurer's or PBM's enrollee. Consequently, information about the size,
prevalence and
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Benefits Of Using Generic Drugs For Cancer And Autoimmune...
In 2014, it was estimated that Americans spent over $373 billion on pharmaceuticals, which is an increase of 13 percent and considered the highest
increase since 2001. With the Affordable Care Act in place, it is estimated that patients filled approximately 24 percent more prescriptions in 2014 than
in 2013. There are several reasons to account for this spending growth. The first is the increased spending of $20 billion on new medication brands.
Secondly, over 161,000 people started treatment for hepatitis C treatment, which is approximately ten times more than the previous year. The third
reason is an increase for recent innovative treatment for cancer and autoimmune diseases (IMShealth.com, 2015). With health care spending continuing
to rise, Americans have at least three options to help reduce out–of–pocket expenses. Cost–saving methods include switching from brand name drugs to
generic medications, discussing potential alternative medications that are less expensive with healthcare providers, and rallying lawmaker to change
current laws to restrict the amount pharmaceutical companies can charge for medications.
Generic Drugs
In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that in 2004, the "average price for generic prescription drug was $28.74, while the average
price of a brand–name prescription drug was $96.01." The FDA recognizes that the high price of medications puts the public at a high health risk. To
help Americans be able to have access

White Collar Crime And White Collar Crimes
White collar crimes have very distinguishing features that convey a different standard than any other set of crimes that are committed within the
judicial system. Consequently, these features are what make white collar crimes not only hard to identify that a crime has occurred, but also the cost
and extent of the crimes. First white–collar crimes are not oblivious to those around them, unlike street crimes where you realize that a crime has been
committed. Unlike a murder or burglary, the signs that a crime has been committed are seen quickly. White collar crimes like embezzlement, health care
fraud, mortgage fraud may not be uncovered for an extended period if not ever. Thus, knowing the crime has been committed leads to the
understanding of the perpetrators of the crime being discovered. Moreover, the alleged perpetrator of the white–collar crime has legitimate access to
items involved in the crimes. Within common antisocial behavior those crimes have a perpetrator that can be identified due to the fact a crime was
discovered and they don't have a legitimate reason to be somewhere or have access to things. Even with white–collar crimes being discovered those
who are perpetrating them are harder to identify due to the lapse in discovery and the understand of the complexity of the crimes. With all crimes, there
is a victim to be found. However, with white–collar crimes this becomes a very complicated issue, unlike ordinary street crimes where are victim is
readily

MODDERN Cures Act and Chronic Disease
Should drug regulation in the United States be significantly revamped in order to encourage development of drugs targeted at chronic disease? In the
United States drug regulation is taken very seriously. Congress holds the power to regulate the distribution, manufacture, and use of narcotics.
Congress has the power to regulate narcotics through the Bill of Rights. "Congress may not authorize unreasonable searches and seizures or cruel and
unusual punishment of narcotics violators" (Kaplan). Congress is able to see where and how drugs get transported. As of right now new medications
for people with rare diseases are being created and approved through the FDA very slowly. There are a lot of regulations that they have to meet which...
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Under this act only treatments for unmet medical needs would be eligible. Some helped to improve outcomes and reduce risk more often than those
approved by the FDA. All of these drugs could not already be on the market or they would not be eligible. To do this it is required of sponsors to give
up all other IP protections for indications protected under dormant therapy exclusivity (Usdin).
Medications only work for about fifty to seventy–five percent of the people whom take it, so there is no way of knowing for sure if it will work.
Luckily we are switching to a more personalized approach to medicine. We are looking at the best therapies based on genetic materials and other
predictive factors. "In an era of increasingly scarce resources for health research, it is critical to ensure that outdated barriers in the regulatory system
are removed and limited dollars are spent more effectively to meet the needs of patients" (NHS). We have to make sure that we are spending our
money in the right places. This is why we have to continuously update our regulatory system by taking out any barriers that would affect our ability to
create therapies for unmet medical needs.
There is a big chance of someone becoming addicted to pain medications. "Many doctors under–prescribe pain medication for patients suffering from
chronic pain over concerns that it will cause

Hcs/440 Group Paper
The High Cost of Healing Barbara Bauman HCS/440 April 21, 2014 Dr. David Moody The High Cost of Healing The cost of health care has been
at the forefront of politics for years. It is one of the most talked about topics not just in political venues but also country wide. Every American has an
opinion on how our economy can be fixed and they are passionate about health care reform. The price of insurance alone causes many Americans to
not have coverage. For those that can afford coverage, the struggle to pay co pays is immensely crippling their bank accounts. Of these burdens on
Americans today, the most frightening fact lies in the cost of prescription medications. The price for prescription medications is quickly... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
It asks the question to whether the Act will be successful and if not what will the government replace it with. It suggests that the reform is not as
great of a solution to the issues as the government had originally thought. Finally, in a February 2012 proposed regulation, CMS proposed that state
Medicaid agencies reimburse pharmacies for retail drugs based on actual acquisition cost. CMS recognized, however, that states may not be able to
determine the actual price paid by a pharmacy for a drug billed to Medicaid, so it suggested that states survey pharmacies or rely on other data to
calculate an average acquisition cost for drugs purchased and billed by retail community pharmacies. The article reviewed the association between
benefit caps, prescription drug use, and the costs associated. It also detailed drug cost sharing, additional medical costs, and specific health outcomes.
Using observational data, the studies analyzed the changes and did a cost comparison of outcomes at two points of time, before and after the
pharmaceutical benefits changed. The article detailed the impact of pharmaceutical drugs was often difficult to analyze because some data analyzed
utilization while others analyzed actual pharmaceutical spending. The data surrounding utilization compared as many as five factors such proportion

Medicare Impact On Health Care
In 1965, President Johnson signed Title XIX of the Social Security Amendments, which enacted Medicare and Medicaid (CMS, n.d.). Originally,
Medicare was composed of Part A and Part B. Part A is covers more medical costs associated with hospital stays, while Part B cover medical costs
such as durable medical equipment, nebulizers, some vaccinations (Pneumovax В®, Zostavax В®, and Flu), and some nebulized breathing treatments.
The original program was designed to cover disabled individuals and every over the age of 65.
The largest changes that have occurred to Medicare to date spawned from the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. This act expanded Medicare to
include Part C and Part D. Part C plans are known as "Medicare Advantage Plans", these ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
An additional 11.2% are disabled and under 65 years of age. I think the largest issues that Tennessee will see with Medicare changes due to the
Affordable Care Act, is payments. In my area, there are many not–for–profit hospitals that are already struggling due to amount of patients living
without insurance in the area. Primary care physicians are few are far between in these rural areas, and it is often closer and easier to get to a hospital.
Blount Memorial hospital is a community run hospital that I know is struggling. This is the closest care to many patients that live tucked away in the
mountains, sometimes patients drive for an hour or more to even get there. If Medicare reimbursements are decreased due to readmissions, the hospital
will fail to thrive. I worked at a pharmacy within a mile of the hospital. Many patients struggled to pay for their medications, especially when they fell in
the donut hole. They would often go without these needed medications, and find themselves admitted to the hospital. I worry that Medicare payment
changes will hurt the hospitals that face these types of patients, and may even run them under, and leave patients with even less access to

The Rising Cost Of Healthcare
Introduction
There have been many studies performed focusing on the rising costs of health care and some of the findings state that the rising cost of healthcare
premiums is a worldwide problem. However, I believe they are higher in the U.S. In 2015, U.S. health care costs were $3.2 trillion. That makes
healthcare one of the largest U.S. industries, equaling 17.8 % of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in comparison to the late 1960s; where
healthcare costs were only $27 billion, or 5% of the GDP, which averaged $9,990 per person each year. The main reason for the risingcost of healthcare
is a combination of government policies and lifestyles changes. Examples included lack of coverage or costly coverage, lack of available coverage for
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It was something I needed so I could not refrain from purchasing it; had I met the deductible it would have cost me only fifty dollars. Cancer is
another example. In an article written by oncologist Lacie Glover, her concern was about the rising cost of cancer treatment, newly approved cancer
drug costs of an average of $10,000 per month, and therapy costs averaging $30,000 per month. A patient typically pays 20–30% out of pocket for
drugs. Therefore, the year's average cost of new cancer medications would $26,000–$36,000, in addition to their health insurance premiums. If you
wonder why insurance premiums are constantly on the rise, reflecting on the illnesses and costs to treat them.
How could we create a decrease in insurance premiums? health care specialists and physicians should share one set of tests annually sending patient
to test blood work, procedures are costly and each test is billing separately to the insurance company. To elaborate, if a patient did a physical and
blood work yearly other physicians should get access to it within that year if there should be the need for blood work, I would think that they should
be able to use that blood similar an X–ray scan. One of my main point to my statement is that I did a complete annual lab, and less than a month I
needed blood work for insurance purposes and I had to do everything all over, that was very unnecessary if tests are continually being repeated there is
also the possibility of overtreating,

Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Analysis
It was a defining moment just over a decade ago that Medicare Part D, or the Medicare prescription drug benefit, became effective. A group of officials
and assistants crafted this legislation to aide those seniors that had troubles getting their prescriptions every month. The program also made millions
upon millions for pharmaceutical companies. The various stakeholder groups influenced the final outcome of this legislation to the point that if they
were not involved, the country may not have ever been introduced to Medicare Part D.
Various Stakeholder Groups
Those same people that were part of the government action back when this legislation was initially drafted were dedicated to defending the program
during the recent health care restructuring

The Impact Of Prescription Drugs On The Health Sector
A substantial piece of the U.S market in the health sector is run by the prescription drugs and, therefore, making the U.S the global largest market of
pharmaceuticals accounting for more than a third of the world's expenditure on drugs. It is estimated that in 2014 slightly over $300 billion were spent
on prescription drugs which accounts for roughly 10 cents of every dollar in the U.S healthcare market. The U.S expenditure on prescription drugs
has been growing at an annual rate of 11% for the last 27 years between 1980 and 2007. But the expenditure has slowed between 2008 and 2013 to
about 2% annual average which has been occasioned by several reasons including the 2008 financial quagmire which was also responsible for the
reduction in the overall U.S health care costs, the application of controls towards insurer drug utilization and also the production of a less amount of
new blockbuster drugs within that period (Institute for Healthcare Informatics, 2014)..
The slow growth in the prescription market could also be attributed to the rising increased utilization of cheap generic drugs with patents for the
best–selling drugs also being outdated. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services, the year 2014 witnessed a prescription drug
spending increase of over 12 percent that was partly due to an increase in the use of specialty drugs. It also projected an average annual growth of
6.3% between 2015 and 2024 (Institute for Healthcare Informatics, 2014). The

How Pharmaceutical Costs Have On The Healthcare System
Over the last two decades, public healthcare spending in Canada continues to increase faster than ever and is continuing to do so. Thus, it makes it
harder for governments to finance, and as a result healthcare funding takes up a large share of the government 's budget (Canadian Institution for health
information, 2012) . Although Canada provides citizens with universal coverage, but both the public and private plans do not guarantee that all of the
five principles that Canada's health system stands by. Consequently, research has shown that pharmaceutical cost is the third cost driver in health
expenditures after hospitals and physicians (National Health Expenditure Database, 2013). This paper will explore the effects that pharmaceutical
costs have on the healthcare system. To illustrate this, particular areas will be explored such as location, medication and the price control. Moreover,
advantages will be discussed as well as potential challenges that accompany with pharmaceutical costs. Canada 's healthcare system known as
Medicare, began in 1950s and 1960s. It was built solely on the five principles which are accessibility, universality, comprehensiveness, public
administration and portability. Medicare was the one aspect that Canadians enjoyed and took advantage of because of the public funding system.
Nations around the globe likewise observed and respected Canada 's medicinal services framework too, which makes Canadians proud of what they
have. Fast forwarding to

Adam Senko Case
In Concord, New Hampshire May 5th, 2001 was an uneventful day. It was a sunny, dry, and warm day, not unusual for the spring season in New
England. That Cinco de Mayo, Bob Senko, who was still exhausted from the night before, had to drive his pregnant wife Christine to the hospital.
Once they arrived and Chris was in the delivery room, Adam's father decided that a Penguins hockey game would be more entertaining to watch than
his own son's birth. As Bob sat watching Pittsburgh lose in overtime to the Buffalo Sabres, a boy was born at 4:48 in the afternoon. He weighed seven
pounds and nine ounces and measured 20 and three–quarters inches tall (Senko Interview). Although Adam's birth was largely insignificant, there was
some actual news in crime,... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Firstly, the internet song sharing service Napster struggled after they were told by a judge that their business model hinged on copyright
infringement. However, in early June 2001, Napster worked on a deal with record companies Warner Music, BMG Entertainment, and EMI Group
(Kirkpatrick and Richtel). The proposed arrangement between Napster and the three record companies was a step in the right direction for making
Napster a profitable business that could continue to exist even after the injunction. Secondly, in the earlier days of the internet, there was less
regulation, and as a result, many complained to Congress about spam email. Listening to the voters, Congress drafted The Unsolicited Commercial
Electronic Mail Act of 2001, which would require senders of spam emails to give a valid return address also give the right to sue spammers
(Biersdorfer). The lawmakers in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce looked to give citizens the power to do something if they felt that
they had been taken advantage of by senders of junk email. Lastly, the Nevada State Senate looked to bring gambling to the internet, as they passed a
bill to the governor that would legalize and regulate online gambling. To ensure that it was done legally, the bill made it expensive to obtain a license
for an online casino, so that only larger casinos would be able to necessary

The Problem Of Prescription Drugs
There is also the issue of many people forgoing certain needs in order to not have to reduce their prescription use. Rather than forcing themselves to
space out their medication more than they are supposed to be as prescribed, these people start cost cutting in other areas of their lives. Many will
forgo basic needs, such as food, in order to get to a point of affordability of their medication. This cost–cutting generally can occur before the gap, just
as drug reduction does, and typically continues through the gap until catastrophic coverage is reached, or until they reach the next year and reset the
entire process (Madden and Graves, 2009; Nekhlyudov and Madden, 2011; Zivin and Madden, 2009). The danger of medication nonadherence also
comes in the health outcomes of those who fail to adhere. As explained above, when there is an increase in out–of–pocket spending required to get
prescription drugs, there is an increase in noncompliance of medication usage. This increase in noncompliance can lead to an increase in a variety of
negative outcomes in health. These can be regression or complication of the illness that was being medicated, emergency room trips and even
admission into hospitals. No matter which negative health outcome occurs, it means a decrease in overall health for the Medicare beneficiary (Dalen,
2009; Stuart, 2005; Zhang and Donohue, 2009). This not only puts a strain on the beneficiary, once again spiking stress with illness relapse or hospital
issues, but

America 's National Epidemic : Over Prescription Of Drugs...
America's National Epidemic: Over Prescription of Drugs In the modern age of technological and medical advancements such as organ transplants
and robotic limbs, Americans have developed unrealistic expectations about prescription drugs. The false belief that the right pill in the right dosage
can cure all has led to a national epidemic: over prescription. Since the 1970s, the average American's expenditure on prescription drugs has doubled
because not only are new treatments for almost every ailment now available, but they are also aggressively advertised on television, the internet, and
social media. At the same time that the American population confronts health issues associated with rising age, obesity, and stress levels, prescription
drugs promise a quick fix for everything from depression to acne to insomnia leading to a one pill fix all. The safest and often most effective courses
of action are normally exercise, nutrition, and work–life balance, but doctors who do not prescribe lifestyle changes instead of drugs would probably
soon find themselves out of business. Informed patients who have done research on websites such as WebMD and Rxlist.com believe that they know
what drug will best treat their symptoms and seek out doctors who will prescribe what they want. Financial considerations should not be the driving
force of medical decision–making. Though tempting, prescription drugs are often not the best course of action to improve health and treat symptoms.
Doctors

prescription drug abuse
Prescription Drug Abuse
Millions of people throughout the world are taking drugs on a daily basis. If you were to ask someone why they take prescription drugs, most people
would be taking them for the right reason. However, it's estimated that twenty percent of people in the United States alone have used prescription drugs
for non–medical reasons.1 Prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem that often goes unnoticed. Abusing these drugs can often lead to
addiction and even death. You can develop an addiction to certain drugs that may include: narcotic painkillers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants.1
Prescription drugs are the most common abused category of drugs, right next to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and ... Show more content on
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For instance, some people mix alcohol and Valium, both of which can slow breathing. The combination of the two could stop breathing altogether.4
Cough and cold medications are some of the most commonly abused over the counter medications. They contain an ingredient called
dextromethorphan. However, to get to the "high" craved by people who use drugs, large quantities are needed. At high doses, dextromethorphan
causes side effects similar to those of the drugs Ketamine, or PCP, by affecting similar sites to the brain. Ketamine and PCP are considered
"dissociative" drugs, which make people feel disconnected from their normal selves. When taken as directed, over the counter drugs are safe and
effective, but high doses can cause problems. It's always important to read the bottle labels and take over the counter medications only as directed.4
Not all prescription drugs have the potential for abuse and addiction. Many drugs don't even act in the brain. For example, antibiotics are not
addictive. On the rare occasion people who take drugs for medical conditions may become addicted. This is why it is extremely important to be under
a doctor's care while taking prescription medication.4 Most prescription drugs are taken in a form that gets to the brain slowly at a dose that treats a
problem, but doesn't overwhelm the system. Both of which reduce the likelihood of an addiction. Long–term medical use of prescription drugs can

Medicaid In Healthcare
Preserving Medicaid Access to Prescriptions Drugs in Managed Care
As Congress considers potential options to reform Medicaid, it is important to keep in mind patient access to prescription drugs and other healthcare
services. Retail community pharmacies believe that Medicaid prescription drug benefit reform efforts should be focused on maintaining a Medicaid
prescription drug benefit, maintaining patient access to adequate provider networks, fair and appropriate cost–based provider payments, and facilitating
patient access to pharmacist–provided health care services.
Preserving a Medicaid Pharmacy Benefit Program: Even though pharmacy benefits are optional under Medicaid, every state offers pharmacy benefits
to their fee–for–service Medicaid ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Under the existing federal Medicaid pharmacy benefit program, fee–for–service reimbursement rates for prescription drugs are based on the actual
invoice cost of prescription drugs plus a reasonable professional dispensing fee. Any federal reforms to Medicaid which would allow states to set
Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement rates below actual drug acquisition costs could seriously jeopardize Medicaid patient access to Medicaid drugs.
Whether in a Medicaid managed care or fee–for–service setting, a Medicaid program that reimburses below actual drug costs raises a barrier that may
limit or eliminate access points for patients to utilize their Medicaid drug benefits. Even with a cost–based drug reimbursement floor, Medicaid
programs can fully avoid patient access barriers only through the addition of adequate dispensing fees that are more reflective of the cost to provide
healthcare services in the

Plastic Surgery
Due Date:
Persuasive Outline and Speech Presentation: Due in Dropbox (Outline) and on YouTube (Video) on or before TUESDAY, October 15, 2013 (11:50PM)
Assignment Details:
Purpose and Information:
The persuasive speech is deliberative. It employs emotion, credibility, and logic to convince an audience that a narrowly defined action is beneficial.
The persuasive proposition (thesis) is generally supported by two to three main ideas which employ about two to three pieces of evidence each.
You will be using Monroe's Motivated Sequence (p. 139–140 in the hard–copy textbook) to organize your speech. This organizational pattern focuses on
the audience's motivation and getting the audience to act. Following the steps in the sequence is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Use the sources you found while preparing your Annotated Bibliography Assignment.
Keep these things in mind while preparing your presentation:
Purpose
Why are you talking about this subject to this group of people at this time and in this place? What will be accomplished as a result of this endeavor?
What are your ethical obligations to this subject and this audience? Are you a "good person speaking well?"
Supporting Materials
What background materials have you selected to provide context for your speech?
What types of verbal and visual evidence have you selected to support your thesis? Why? Have you evaluated the credibility of your evidence?
Organization
How have you arranged the supporting material to interest and involve this audience? How have you created a strategic argument?

Delivery & Rehearsal
Have you developed a relationship with this speech? How do you plan to use your voice and body to make this speech effective? What is your
rehearsal schedule?
References and Works cited
Cite all works according to APA style guidelines
Persuasive Speech Sample Outline
(the text in red does not need to be included in your outline)
Name:
Speech Title: The High Cost of Medication: How We Can Help Ourselves
Speech

Translating Research into Practice Essays
Introduction A financial burden such as the cost of medication can cause decreased compliance, increased complications and sometimes death . In
2005, a national study showed that 90 percent of the elderly take up to five prescription drug medications daily, thus, placing a tremendous financial
burden on the elderly causing the decrease in dose or the refusal to get the prescription filled (Safran et al, 2005). The cost of medication on the
elderly has been identified before, however, little has been done to assist the elderly in this endeavor. The purpose of this paper is to identify 3 best
practice interventions to assist the elderly with medication cost and enhance compliance. Identifying Problem In 2005, twenty–six percent of... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Search Criteria The University of Alabama Biomedical Library was searched for relevant studies . This search included COCHRANE Database
of Systematic Reviews, OVID database and EBSCO database. Another search was done using Google search, National Guidelines Clearinghouse,
and Agency for Health Research. Reviewed articles references were used to obtain more studies. Keywords for all searches included: medication,
medication cost, drug, drug cost, elderly, aged, nonadherence, and noncompliance ( See Appendix A). All the studies were less than 5 years old,
expert opinions, practice guidelines were reviewed and those related to interventions to assist the elderly with medication cost were selected.
Levels of Evidence A preliminary search yielded 10 studies, and reviews (Appendix B). Two Level1 studies were systematic reviews. One of the
studies was a well controlled randomized study, which is a Level II. Six of the studies were nonrandomized, well controlled studies that were Level
III. No evidence found at this time was a Level IV, V, VI, or VII. Grade of Recommendations Each study was graded on the relativity to clinical
practice. A tool established by DiCenso, Guyatt, and Ciliska, and the Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health Services was modified for use in
this research (Appendix C). According to the graded research, a

The Costs Of Prescription Drugs Essay
Skyrocket costs of Prescription Drugs Prescription drugs all around are very expensive, but without out them some of us would not be able to say we
are alive. We can still see the price of these prescription drugs go through the roof as we speak. Although most of low–income workers can barely
afford medicine and drugs, one way or another, we make it work because without it we would be dead. Although having insurance covers a lot of
our medical health expenses, such as medical bills, prescription bills, hospital bills and things of this nature. As the cost of prescriptions keep
going up, sometimes our insurance companies cannot cover the cost because they have hit their Cap of money able to spend. Some insurance
companies have Cap for a person or a cap for a whole family it can be yearly or annually it just depends on the "deal" you worked out with your
insurance provider. Most families, like my own make due to cover the cost of having insurance, yet we have to still be able to cover what remains of
the prescription cost if we want to live. Money sometimes is very tight and meeting these necessary financial situations get tough. My family consists
of my mom, dad, two brothers, two sisters and myself. Both of our parents have diabetes and need medication to control it. My dad has to take even
more medication because of his kidney transplant. They have their oldest (my twin sister, and myself) both going to college, a big expense. At the
same time, they have to take care of

The Drug Plan Of Medicare
Medicare Part D is also known as the drug plan of Medicare. It was enacted on January 1, 2006 and became available to millions of patients on
Medicare. Medicare is for those individuals who have been working in the United States and have turned 65 or who are disabled.
Part A covers the hospital portion and Part B covers the medical portion. If you qualify and have at least one part then you are eligible for Part D
coverage as well. Part D helps people on Medicare to be able to cover some of their prescription costs. This is not a free coverage but requires a
monthly premium. All prescriptions are based on a formulary where a low tier will cost the patient less versus a high tier costing more. The idea is
that low tier medications will be ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Part D plans had a generic efficiency of 96% in 2011, which is up from 90% in 2007. According to CBO, the increased use of generics saved $33
billion in 2007 alone. (Kendall, 2013)"
It is very interesting that when prescriptions are available to seniors there have been less hospital visits and admissions. It truly is a circle effect
where all healthcare plays a role. If prescriptions are cheap and patients can afford them then their symptoms are controlled with less pain. This equates
to lees doctor visits and hospital trips. When they do not have access and their symptoms are out of control it means more visits which runs up the costs
that they cannot afford and the patient gets stuck in that negative circle.
Having a Medicare Part D has contributed to giving patients the right to choose more about their care which has led to other healthcare successes
such as the Affordable Care Act. Making not only healthcare but prescriptions available at a better cost is very important in customer satisfaction.
There were some fears that employers would drop retiree coverage but thankfully it did not show much of an impact and let employers keep their
plans and only increase slightly. This is great for seniors who wanted to keep the plan that they had.
There are some negative effects of the plan. According to Kendall (2013), like the ACA, Part D has an individual penalty: for every year a Medicare
beneficiary waits to enroll because he is healthy and thinks

NR305 Milestone1 Form 8 6 13 Essay
Course Project Milestone 1: Health History Form Your Name: Paola SanchezDate: 11/22/2013 Your Instructor's Name: Directions: Refer to the
Milestone 1: Health History guidelines and grading rubric found in Doc Sharing to complete the information below. This assignment is worth 175
points, with 5 points awarded for clarity of writing, which means the use of proper grammar, spelling and medical language. Type your answers on this
form. Click "Save as" and save the file with the assignment name and your last name, e.g., "NR305_Milestone1_Form_Smith" When you are finished,
submit the form to the Milestone #1 Dropbox by the deadline indicated in your guidelines. Post questions in the Q&A Forum or contact your instructor
if you have... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Culture: Puerto Rican Physical and social characteristics that influence healthcare decisions: Will only go to doctor for a cold or fever after home
remedies don't work. SPIRITUALITY (5 pts) Religious and spiritual needs: Client baptized as Catholic; but not a current practicing Catholic
SELF–CONCEPT (5 pts) View of self–worth: Is happy with self and loves to care for others. Growing up all she wanted to be is a mother and is very
happy that she was able to full fill her dream by having 4 children. Future plans: Client states she doesn't have any and is pretty content. REVIEW
OF SYSTEMS (20 pts) Skin, hair, nails: No birthmarks. No rashes, lesions or skin discoloration. Showers daily and dyes hair every 6 months. Tries
to keep nails clean and manicured and likes to paint nails red. Nails are not pitted or clubbed. Head, neck, related lymphatics: No neck swelling.
Denies history of seizures or dizziness. Patient admits to headaches especially when blood pressure is not controlled. Eyes: Wears reading glasses. Had
cataract

Socioeconomic Factors In Health Care Essay
We know that socioeconomic status is connected to the quality of healthcare and access to the same. Higher the socioeconomic status, better the
quality and easier access to healthcare. But why? Simply because socioeconomic factors are social determinants. These factors not only influence or
access to healthcare but also the provider's behavior which in a way influences the quality the care. There are two things: 1. Quality of care which is
usually decided by the decisions we make and the behavior of thecare provider towards us which is greatly influenced by the socioeconomic factors
like funds,education etc. For instance, a provider wouldn't provide high quality care to a person who is impoverished because he knows that he can't
afford it and in provider's mind there is a image built that he might not need such a high quality care. 2. Access to healthcare is different but not
untouched by socioeconomic factors. How easily we get access to healthcare and how smooth is our participation is dependent on our socioeconomic
factors as well because your education and your income inequalities results in apparent health inequities. This simple cause being the unhealthy and
poisonous combination of bad policies and structures that deteriorates the quality of everyday and hinders in leaving to the best of the quality. These
policies and structures than later become our social determinants which results in health inequities. You can sense the vicious circle here, yes?

The Health Problems Of Pharmaceuticals
Medication has been used to prevent and treat many health problems in the world today. According to our textbook, the development of
pharmaceuticals is one of the many great achievements in modern medicine which treat, prevents, or reduce the symptoms or progressions of disease
(Ferrini, 2013). Medications are also found in many various forms today such as in pills, capsules, or in liquids. They can also be short–acting (lasting
from second), long–acting (lasting to hours to days), or sustained–release (where the drug is released little by little). Ferrini also continues to state that
elders in America tend to consume the most medications than all the other age groups. Since elders in America consume almost one–third of all the
pharmaceuticals than any other age group they should be able to effectively and safely use drugs however, this is not always the case. With
advancing age, many lose their ability to decipher and manage medication, or how to take medications. To add to the problem of not being able to
manage medication, the number of prescribed medication continues to increase. Their bodies are further complicated with illnesses like dementia, and
disability, and their social and financial resources continue to shrink. Information like names, dosages, and awareness for side effects also continue to
decrease and are not likely to comply with medication schedules. As discussed before, the physical damages to the human body are quite severe, but
the use of medications

How Nurses Can Best Support Patients With Patients
Estimates are that 20–50% of patients do not adhere to prescribed medication regimens and that this nonadherence may be responsible for up to 10
percent of all hospitalizations.1 Preparing patients to manage their medications upon returning home from the hospital is a critical component to illness
management and preventing readmission to the hospital. Patients who report they are unprepared to care for themselves after discharge from the
hospital are likely to be readmitted.2 Readmission to the hospital is associated with increased cost,3 and increased risk for mortality4. Thus,
understanding how nurses can best support patients to self–manage their medications is imperative.
To prepare patients for self–management requires nurses to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Furthermore, collaborative communication that emphasizes shared decision making between provider and patient is associated with patient activation
and medication adherence.7,8 The purpose of this research is to examine the relationships of hospital inpatients ' perceptions of nurse communication
and patients' understanding of their prescribed medications to begin to build a framework for interventions to support patients' medication
self–management.
Background
Medication adherence is simply defined as the extent to which patients follow prescribed medication recommendations.9 Adherence includes taking
medication the way it is prescribed (right dose, right time, right route, right person), whereas medication management requires patients to understand
their medication (purpose, dose, frequency, how to take it, side effects) as well as developing habits to remember to take the medications within the
context of their daily lives. Actually managing medications is a relatively more complex process and can be influenced by patient activation, beliefs
about medications, side effects,10 multiple daily dosing, complex regimens,10 polypharmacy,10 and communication with the healthcare team.
Self–care management includes treatment adherence (following instructions) as well as symptom management and daily life management,11
Therefore, patients' understanding of their home self–care involves being able to integrate hospital

Elderly Population At Risk For Hospital Readmission
With a variety of trends that account for the increasing cases of the elderly population at risk for hospital readmission, the authors discuss an in depth
evaluation on why this occurs. Hospital readmission, a growing health concern, tallied in a whopping $17 B in Medicare cost for unplanned
hospitalizations. Readmission, refers to a return to the hospital after discharge from a recent stay where rates are reported mostly at 30, 60, and 90–day
intervals after discharge. Even though the elderly, aged 60 years or older, unfailingly represent the highest rate of hospital readmissions compared to
other age groups, according to the authors, readmission rates have been associated with patient demographics, chronic conditions and utilization
factors. Additionally, although the aforementioned factors contribute to readmission, adverse events such as injuries that result from hospitalization or
at home like medication errors. According to (Robinson, Howie–Esquivel, & Vlahov)
According to the authors, the elements that lead to most hospital readmission in the Elderly population consist of sociodemographic and clinical
characteristics, frequency of drug use, individual patient level factors, visits to outpatient care facilities, and system–level factors. sociodemographic
factors encompass some of the hierarchical needs chart such age, sex, socioeconomic status, education, social support, insurance type, financial status
and access to or availability of services. After research was

Building The Pharmacy Within The Nursing Home And Rent
Expenses Our initial expense will be building the pharmacy within the nursing home and rent. Building and renovations costs will be $50,000.00. We
will then furnish our pharmacy. The pieces that will be purchased include two desks, a coffee table, six chairs, 2 couches, a room divider, shelves,
cabinets, and a TV. These will be inside thepharmacy and in our waiting room. Along with these, office equipment will be purchased as well. This
will include three computers, a printer, fax machines, phones, staplers, pen, paper clips, labels, and folders for storage. A very important required
purchase will be the computer program. This will provide a setup for our pharmacists and technicians. Once all these items are in place, a refrigerator,
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For year one, the equipment cost will be $107,000.00. For years 2 and 3 the cost has decreased significantly to $20,000.00. Inventory cost of year 1
will be $150,000.00, while for year 2 and 3 it will only be $100,000.00. The pharmacy manager will be making $50.00/hour the first year and this will
increase to $51.50 the second year and then by the third year it will be raised to $53.05. The clinical pharmacist will start will an average pay for $40
/ hour. This will be increased to $41.20/ hour in year two and by year three $42.44/hour. Our technicians will start off at $12/hour. By year 2 it will go
up to $12.36/hour and then by year 3 it will be $12.73/hour. Cost of rent during our first year will be $60,000. Year 2 will be increased to $61,800 and
by year 3 it will be $63,654.00. Equipment expense will be year 1– $1,000, year 2–$1,030, and year 3– $ 1,061. Telephone expenses are year 1
–$2,000, year 2– $ 2,060, and year 3–$2,122. Insurance will cost $50,000, for year 2 $51,500 and year 3 $53,045.00. The cost for heat and water will
not count in our expenses, as it will be in our contract to have this included within the rent for the first three years. As for Internet and telephone, the
cost will be $2,000.00 per year.
Revenues/funding5
Initial funding for the pharmacy will come from a loan and will be paid off in the first 5 years of making profit. The majority of our

Comparison Of Health Care In Germany
A1. Country to compare
This paper will discuss the comparison between the U.S. healthcare system with the healthcare system of Germany. It will compare access between
the two healthcare systems for children, people who are unemployed, and for people who are retired. The coverage for medications in the two
healthcare systems will be reviewed and the coverage of preexisting conditions will also be discussed.
A2. Access In 2010, the US established The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to help ensure that all Americans have access to
affordable quality healthcare by utilizing a shared responsibly concept between individuals, employers and the government. Private insurance in
regulated primarily at the state level therefore ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(The Commonwealth Fund, 2015, p. 154) In Germany all prescription medications, including newly licensed ones, are covered by insurance plans.
The only prescriptions not covered are prohibited from being covered by laws. These include so called life–style mediations. (The Commonwealth
Fund, 2015, p. 63)
A2b. Referral to see a specialist Specialist can see patient with both private and pubic health insurance in the US, however most plans require a referral
from a primary care physician for the specialist. Specialists are paid through negotiated fees, and are typically not allowed to bill above these for
services offered in–network. (The Commonwealth Fund, 2015, p. 156) Individuals have free choice of general practitioners as well as specialist within
the German healthcare system. The general practitioners and specialist here provide services to those with both statutory health insurance as well as
those with private health insurance. These physicians are reimbursed on a fee–for–service basis with a set fee scheduled that is negotiated between the
physicians and the sickness fund. (The Commonwealth Fund, 2015, p. 65)
A2c. Coverage for Preexisting Conditions The is a law in place in the United States that prevents health insurance companies to refuse to cover you or
charge you more just because you have a pre–existing condition. The only exception the this is with coverage purchased. This also means

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and...
The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003
On December 8, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (Pub. L.
108–173). This landmark legislation provides seniors and individuals with disabilities with a prescription drug benefit, more choices, and better
benefits under Medicare. It produced the largest overhaul of Medicare in the public health program's 38–year history. The MMA was signed by
President George W. Bushon December 8, 2003, after passing in Congress by a close margin. One month later, the ten–year cost estimate was boosted
to $534 billion, up more than $100 billion over the figure presented by the Bush administration ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Istook Jr., changed his vote to present after being told that C.W. bill Young, who was absent due to a death in the family, would have voted yes if he
had been present. Then, Republicans Butch Otter and Jo Ann Emerson switched their vote to yes under pressure from the party leadership. The bill
passed by one vote, 216–215. On June 26, the Senate passed its version of the bill, 76–21. The bills were unified in conference, and on November 21,
the bill came back to the House for approval. The bill came to a vote on November 22. After a short period, the bill was losing, 219–215, with David
Wu not voting. Speaker Dennis Hastert and Majority Leader Tom DeLay tried to convince some of dissenting Republicans to switch their votes, as
they had in June. Istook, who had always been a wavering vote, consented quickly, making a 218–216 tally. In a highly unusual move, the House
leadership held the vote open for hours as they tried to get two more votes. Then Representative Nick Smith claimed he was offered campaign funds
for his son, who was running to replace him, in return for a change in his vote from a no to a yes. After all this Smith clarified no campaign funds was
made, but was offered campaign support. Then they convinced Otter and Trent Franks to switch their votes. With all the voting changes, Wu voted yea
as well, and Democrats Calvin M. Dooley, Jim Marshall and David Scott changed their votes to the affirmative. But Brad Miller , and then, Republican
John

The Article ' A World Split Apart '
In the article, – "A World Split Apart" Solzhenitsyn states the following:
Destructive and irresponsible freedom has been granted boundless space. Society appears to have little defense against the abyss of human decadence,
such as, for example, misuse of liberty for moral violence against young people, motion pictures full of pornography , crime and horror. It is
considered to be part of freedom and theoretically counter–balanced by the young people's right not to look or not to accept. Life organized
legalistically has thus shown its inability to defend itself against the corrosion of evil. (4)
Solzhenitsyn is illustrating that our society is given "too much" freedom. As a result people cannot handle it, resulting in abuse and misuse of the rights
bestowed onto us. This is exceptionally true in the world of medicine; meant for treatment of illness, has led abuse of prescription drugs. How are our
prescription drugs being abused? First, an understanding of basic rights to treatment in relation to prescription medications recently enacted.
Patient's Bill of Rights essentially guarantees treatment to the recipient, as well as all full disclosure, and consent to care. This illustrates that the power
and level of care is in the individuals hands. Furthermore, a new Bill of Right was enacted with the Affordable Care Act in 2010 much of what was
outlined gave new patients protection against insurance company's ("Rights" 1). This is important because it only strengthens the

E-Prescribing is an Incentive by the Centre for Medicare &...
E–Prescribing is an incentive by the Centre for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). It allows the electronic transmission of prescriptions between
qualified medical practitioners and physicians. The aim of the program is to improve the drug prescription system by avoiding errors resulting from
handwritten prescriptions. The E–prescribing program runs on various standards. These standards are spelt out and added in Part D of the Medicare
Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act 2003 (CMS, 2013).
The standards outline clearly the eligibility criteria for prescribing physicians and participating pharmacies. The standards also inform participants on
best practice in issues regarding refill prescriptions, cancellation of prescriptions and changes in prescription among other things. Moreover, the
standards cover administrative guidelines regarding the operation of the system. The standards also cover the drugs covered by the benefits program of
the E–Prescribing system. There is a standard on medical history that allows prescribers access information on drugs currently available to the patient
so as to guide them in the prescription service. Fill Status Notification is a standard that allows prescribers follow up on the prescriptions status such
as it's been picked up or not (CMS, 2013). This standard serves to allow prescribers follow their patients' adherence to prescriptions.
The E–Prescribing Program was developed on a timeline. In November, 2005, the initial

Prescription Drug Coverage Analysis
Prescription drug coverage is fragmented as provinces and territories have control over which drugs are included in their basket of services, and
which are not. The ability for each province/territory to decide what prescription drugs are covered has led to great variability in which drugs are
covered and the method of coverage across Canada. Variation in drug coverage plans is the biggest problem in Canada's health care system as it is
responsible for the high costs of prescription drugs. These high costs are associated with Canadians halting treatment due to unaffordability.
Furthermore, nonadherence to prescription medications proceeds to increase health care costs via increases in emergency room trips.
To emphasize the variation, I will ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Lower–income populations are innately more susceptible to poor health outcomes due to limitations in lifestyle choices. Moreover, chronic illness is
prevalent in these populations, suggesting this population has high usage of prescription drugs. However, a dangerous situation arises; low–income
patients suffering from health issues needing prescription medications are unable to adhere to treatment plans attributable to the lack of coverage
resulting in expensive drug fees. By not continuing treatment, the health status of these patients will deteriorate, forcing them to return to hospitals
/emergency rooms for help, incurring approx. $41,253 in hospital bills if major intervention is required (Patient Cost Estimator). Evidence lies in drug
spending in hospitals by province while accounting for population size. As mentioned above, Atlantic provinces have significantly less drug coverage;
both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have large drug expenditures in hospitals for their population size; $70.9 billion and $97.3 billion, respectively,
high costs are attributable to the poor coverage which force individuals to seek emergency room treatment.
Essentially, the mistake of not including a universal drug plan, one shared by all provinces/territories, is the biggest problem faced by Canada's health
care as foreseeable health consequences from high drug

Prescribed Medication On The United States
Prescribed medication is on the rise in the United States. Particularly among the elderly as they are more inclined to be taking medications. According
to the textbook, about thirty percent of people who are sixty–five or older take eight or more prescriptions daily. (Snyder, 62) With that comes an
increase in medication misuse and abuse. The difference between the two has to do with the intentions or motivations the person has. Medication
misuse is an unintentional or willful use of a medication in a way that differs from prescribed dose or intent. (Snyder, 61) The first example found in
the textbook includes taking several unused antibiotics for strep throat from last years prescription, thinking the sore throat is strep throat. The second
example is a person who takes a double dose of Tylenol, thinking the higher dose will clear the symptoms faster. The last example from the book is
failing to take entire course of antibiotics prescribed for them. (Snyder, 61) On the other hand, medication abuse is deliberately taking a drug for
non–medical reason. For example, taking a prescription medicine that was prescribed to someone else, taking the medicine in a different form such as
snorting it, or taking a certain medicine with the intent to get high. Both medication abuse and misuse in the elderly population is of concern on the
grounds that it can bring mental and physical debilitation. Older people misusing or abusing medications puts them at greater danger and may lead to

Persuasive Essay On Legalization Of Marijuana
Have you ever wondered what could happen if marijuana was legalized? There are many laws in the United States that make this drug illegal to use
and possess. However, if this was legal the number of arrests would decrease and it could help that state increase revenue. This product is currently
sold without any taxes and no regulations on how strong the drug should be. The people and states are not benefiting from having this drug sold on
the streets. By making this drug legal it could help to decrease the number of people who purchase this drug illegally to help with a medical issue.
Free markets are an interest concept of what can happen when there are not government controls in place or the controls are not working the way it
was supposed to. One of the markets that needs to be addressed would be marijuana. The current regulations that are in place in most States show that
this drug is illegal and can place a person in jail for having it in their possession. In the United States 643,121 people were arrested in 2015 for
breaking the marijuana law, of this number 89 percent of these people were only in possession of the drug. The person was not trying to sell it but it
was for their own use. The annual cost to fight the war on drugs is $51,000,000,000. By legalizing marijuana, it would help to free up space in the
penitentiaries and the amount of money spent to fight the war on this drug would help decrease the overall yearly budget. The money that is saved on
this expenditure could be used in a different way to help better the communities and the country overall (Drug Policy Alliance, 2017).
Marijuana has medical benefits that cannot be used due to the risk of being put in jail for possession. This drug can be used to treat different eating
disorders. This is due to the drugs effect on increasing the person's appetite. Another medical use for this drug is for pain management. This could help
people that suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, spinal injuries, and nerve pain. Other diseases that this drug could treat would be Alzheimer's, Parkinson's,
migraines, and cancer (Medicaljane.com, 2017). By offering this as an alternative to other medicines, patients could save a little bit of money. Treating
some

Opioid Abuse: Case Study
A recent government study found there was a 400% increase in the abuse of prescription drugs between the years 1998–2008. Approximately 2.5
million Americans began using prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes in 2008. Therefore, this is 7,000 Americans per day in that one year
period. As the study continued to find out the number of patients who abuse these drugs it, "also revealed that hospital admissions including the use of
painkillers rose from, 2.2% of all substance abuse admissions in
1998 to 9.8% in 2008. According to figures released by the Substance Abuse ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The more availability, the more abusers there will be; there are many ways to how abusers can get drugs, and they are: by stealing, hospital
personnel taking and selling it, and doctor shopping. Although it may come as a shock," Hospitals, like many other employers are subject to the
risk that some employees will steal merchandise" (Cobaugh). Many employees of pharmacies and hospitals take the prescription drugs to sell to
other or feed their addiction, "The diversion of opioids and other controlled substances from hospital pharmacies may result from improper actions
by employees" (Cobaugh). One may do this because it is easily available to you and simpler to get it from someone else rather than a doctor. Most
believe that because they have a medication for it it will be okay for them to have it and abuse it.
Are doctors a factor for the prevalence of prescription drug abuse?
For the past couple of decades, there has been an increased prevalence of prescription drug/opioid abuse. There are many factors

Prescription Assistance For The Elderly Population
Prescription Assistance for the Elderly Population The cost of medical care continues to increase, and for retired individuals on limited budgets
the cost of medical care, especially prescription cost, can be staggering. I interviewed my hospital's case manager, Nelda Peacock, to discuss the
issues and concerns with this population, specifically in regards to medication costs. In addition, we explored resources and assistance available to
the elderly. Clinical Case Manager Interview Ms. Peacock is one of two full time case managers at my facility, Methodist Stone Oak. When asked
about the elderly population and their medical needs, especially in regards to prescription cost, she agreed that it is an issue. We are lucky enough
that we are located in an affluent area, so we don't see the volume of economically disadvantaged that our sister hospitals downtown experience. But,
there's still plenty of people that come to us and need help; I would say the two biggest populations I deal with in this area are Hispanic immigrants
and the elderly. Often what I am seeing with the elderly population are uncontrolled chronic conditions, like heart disease and diabetes, and then they
end up here at the hospital with complications. Sadly, several of these cases could be prevented with proper care and medication, but the problem is
many of them can't afford their prescriptions or don't understand the importance of taking them on a regular basis. (N. Peacock, personal
communication,

The Issue Of The Medicare Part D
Introduction
The major purpose of this work is to completely discuss about the Medicare Part D which will set an influence on the different interest groups and all
the entities of government which have been set under the policy changing process. There has been a complete set environment which involved and
shape the policy to make efforts as to how all the groups of the stakeholders are influences with the Medical Part D. All the legislation and the specific
strategies are made in correspondence to the politics. (Powell et al., 2015). The Medicare Part D is also said to be Medicare prescription drug benefit
which directs to setting the United States Federal government programs to work on the subsidizing costs of all the drugs of prescription which
insure premiums for the Medicare in US. There is a great enactment which has been based on Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. In December
2003, there are major Medicare Prescriptions which have become into the Improvement and Modernisation Act to become a proper law. There has
been a great benefit from the drugs which provides an entire coverage to all the disables and the elderly people who could not have the ability to
manage it.
How did various stakeholder groups influence the final outcome of Medicare Part D legislation?
The various stakeholders have been grouped under the influential outcome to manage the legislation who are all the democrat, the groups of advocacy,
the US Senate and the Bush administration and republicans.

Financial Assistance Program For Health Coverage
Mrs. Jones, like many older adults, is on a fixed income, has Medicare for health coverage, but lacks prescription drug coverage. She was recently
prescribed a new medication by her physician, which she cannot afford. As Mrs. Jones nurse, it is my responsibility to advocate for her by providing
education and sharing information on the multiple different avenues available to decrease the cost of the medication prescribed. I will identify three
strategies in which I can help Mrs. Jones afford her medication. First, I will provide education on her insurance plan and explain Medicare Drug Plans
and their enrollment process. Secondly, I will identify a financial assistance program which she might qualify for. Finally, I will identify different ways
to lower the cost of the medication such as coupons, drug discount cards, switching to a generic medication, and store programs ("Prescription Drug,"
2014). All of these options are a solution to Mrs. Jones problem. In the meantime, it may be beneficial to obtain free samples from the physician 's
office if possible, but this only makes sense if there is a strong likelihood that she will eventually be able to afford the new medication.
First, I must assess Mrs. Jones understanding of her insurance plan. Is she even aware that she doesn 't have prescription drug coverage? According to
Cohen and Villarroel (2015), "approximately one fifth (18%) of the $263 billion spent on retail prescription drugs in the United States in 2012

Affordable Care Act and Part D
Affordable Care Act and Part D
Kelly Ayers
HCS/531
Monday 2 July 2012
Dr. Russell Arenz
As the population ages, people want the security of knowing that they have health care coverage. At age 65, people have the opportunity to be
covered by Medicare. Medicare has four parts to it; part A which is the hospital insurance, part B which is the medical insurance, part C is Medicare
Advantage plan which offers extra coverage such as vision, hearing, dental and/or wellness programs, and part D is prescription drug coverage. The
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act survived a vote of the Supreme Court justices and changes will be implemented within the next few years.
As people age and the number of people entering the golden ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
25). Increasing the availability of generics will yield significant savings. The donut hole will not completely close but a 25% gap is left for the
enrollee. To be able to get to this 25% gap, closing percentages of the gap will be phased in over a ten year period. "For generic drugs, costs
decrease by only 7% in 2011, and the enrollee continues to pay the majority of the applicable costs until the year 2018" (Kaplan, 2011, p. 25). Until
the end of the phase in period, generic drugs will cost more than brand names. Reason being, the government wants both generic and brand names
reduced until both equal 25%. "The enrollee's percentage obligation for brand name drugs is lower than the comparable percentage for generic drugs
until they both reach the 25% level in 2020" (Kaplan, 2011, p. 25). However, changing perceptions of prescribers and consumers will be necessary to
launch the initiative. The education of providers regarding the therapeutic equivalent and efficacy of generic medications are therapeutic substitutes is
very important–prescribers will be the driving force behind adoption of generics over brand–name drugs. The use of e–prescribing provides information
regarding cost, formularies and available generics at the fingertips of providers (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2010).
Physicians

Walgreens Co. Swot Analysis Essay
Walgreens Company SWOT Analysis
Melanie Garces
MGT/521
July 16, 2012
Kirk Davis
Abstract
This paper will provide insight into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the Walgreens Company, the nation's leading drugstore
chain. The company's key stakeholders – customers, employees and the community are also identified and an explanation provided as to how the
company is satisfying the needs and wants of each stakeholder type. This paper analyzes the strengths of the company as the industry leader with its
wide portfolio of products and services, as well as establishing the benchmark for growth through acquisitions. The company's weaknesses include
prescription errors resulting in death and being unable to keep ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The acquisition also includes corporate offices, a distribution center located in Pine Bluff, Ark., and a wholesale and private brand business. In fiscal
2011, the company completed its acquisition of drugstore.com, extending its multichannel reach to an additional three million online customers,
forgoing relationships with new vendors and partners and adding approximately 60,000 health, personal care and beauty products to its online
offerings. (Wasson, 2011) In 2010, Walgreens completed its acquisition of Duane Reade Holdings, Inc., a large drugstore chain in New York. With
one big purchase, Walgreens has become New York's biggest player on many blocks, adding 258 metro
–area stores to its portfolio. (Ritter, 2010)
Wide Portfolio of Pharmacy and Health–Related Services. Walgreens offers an extensive range of pharmacy and health care related services that
complement each other. The company offers pharmacy benefit, home medical equipment, specialty pharmacy, infusion and respiratory, mail service
pharmacy, on–site pharmacy, and community pharmacy services. It serves businesses and organizations, managed care organizations, hospitals and
care facilities, healthcare professionals, employers, unions, brokers, and educational facilities, as well as the public sector.
Weaknesses
Pharmaceutical Errors Resulting in Death. Since 2006, Walgreens has faced multiple lawsuits

Medicare Funding Summary
The Medicare trust fund is a government insurance program that finances medical care for three different groups of individuals: people that are 65
years of age or older, disabled individuals who can receive Social Security benefits, and people who have end–stage renal disease (Shi & Singh, 2015).
Individuals in these three categories can enroll regardless of their annual income. In 2015 there were 55.3 million beneficiaries and the expenditures
for the year totaled $648 billion ("Trustees report," 2016). Medicare is funded by payroll taxes, general tax revenues, and premiums that are paid by
individuals enrolled in the plan. The Medicare trust fund is made up of two different funds. The first, is the Hospital Insurance (HI) trust fund and...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Cubanski & Neuman (2016) state that the reduced growth of Medicare can be attributed, in part, to the ACA. The ACA included reductions in
Medicare payments to plans and providers and introduced delivery system reforms that aims to improve efficiency and quality of patient care and
reduce costs including accountable care organizations (ACOs), medical homes, bundled payments, and value–based purchasing initiatives"(Cubanski &
Neuman, 2016, p. 2). Due to some of these reforms, the Medicare spending growth rate has decreased. From 2010–2015 the average annual growth
rate in Medicare spending was 4.4 percent, which was a decrease from the 2000–2010 spending growth rate of 9 percent (Cubanski & Neuman, 2016).
The average annual growth rate of healthcare expenditures on beneficiaries, also, decreased from 7.4 percent in 2000–2010 to 1.4 percent in
2010–2015 (Cubanski & Neuman,

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