Veterans and the VA Formulary

CONservative Spin:

“the VA formulary excludes a number of new drugs covered by the Medicare prescription benefit.”

Mike Leavitt, "Medicare And the Market," The Washington Post, January 11, 2007." Retrieved on December 14, 2007, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/10/AR2007011002020.html.

PROgressive Response:

By Bill Scher

December 13th, 2007

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The 1,300 drugs on the Veterans Administration formulary account for the vast majority of prescriptions that are filled by people on Medicare - and Veterans can still get the drugs not on the VA formulary. They just need to have their doctor explain why they need the drug in question.

Additionally, no plans in the Medicare program cover all 4,300 FDA approved drugs. These plans have preferred drugs as well, which is why the typical beneficiary had to spend 8 hours last year sifting through the various options, according to a study done for the Medicare Payments Advisory Commission. Seniors with many drug needs presumably spent even more time.

Question to ask: Why has the VA received significantly higher marks than private health care in independent surveys of customer satisfaction for the past 7 years?

Source

Baker, Dean. "Post Pushes Drug Industry Line, Again," The American Prospect Online Edition, January 13, 2007. Retrieved on December 14, 2007, from http://www.prospect.org/deanbaker/2007/01/post_pushes_drug_industry_line.html.

Source

"VA Health Care System Outscores Private Sector Again," the Veterans Administration, January 10, 2007. Retrieved on December 14, 2007, from http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/index.cfm.