The doughnut hole was designed as a "market shock" to remind freeloaders on socialist medicine of the true cost of health care. This innovation sends a clear message that health care and drugs are not free, the moral hazard of overconsumption must cease and claims to the contrary are patently false.

While a few socialists have managed to leapfrog the hole with add-on policies, most have been trapped by the hole and forced to face the true competitive prices that made America strong.

Those who make it through the hole will be known as the next Greatest Generation, made whole by the hole, extended by the kindness and generosity of struggling pharmaceutical entrepreneurs everywhere, who will become unemployed if the hole is closed by even more socialism.

Since when does the HCR plan's closing the doughnut hole cost the drug companies anything? In order to close the hole, the government will subsidize drug costs for patients who reach the threshold, and there are no limitations in the plan on the prices charged for the drugs.

Maybe I have this wrong, but I thought the 50% discount on drugs would be made up to the drug companies by payments from the government, but according to the WaPo article I'm incorrect. Luckily the drug companies have found a way out of the necessity of giving a discount to buyers of their drugs: "There is legitimate concern that some manufacturers will steeply increase the price of drugs in order to offset the cost of the discount to the manufacturers at the expense of both consumers and the Medicare program itself," the Center for Medicare Advocacy and the Medicare Rights Center said in a letter to the agency that oversees the federal health insurance program.

Nice to know the drug companies haven't aren't being forced to compromise their rapacious greed.

Lets see, competitive prices that made America strong: Its illegal to buy drugs from Canada (lower prices through competition), and its illegal for Medicare to negotiate lower prices based on volume as does the Veterans Admin, Kaiser Perm, BC/BS and so on. And when was the last time you negotiated a lower price for meds from your local pharmacy?

This is socialism? This is the free market? I don't think so. As for "pharmaceutical entrepreneurs" - more money spent on consumer advertising then research, R&D funded by the Feds and profits to private industry, drugs developed and tested in Europe then marketed and sold in US at insane markup.

So far it looks like the insurance companies and big pharma are making out like bandits. One person might be able to keep their 23 year old on their insurance, but another finds out how much it costs to do so and can't afford it. That's probably another aspect of insurance companies making out like bandits. The cost of insurance for the 23 year old for the family plan is so much higher than when he was a 21 year old and still in college. Same person. No change in health, just a new way for the insurer to gouge people. Did they really think that without a public option, but mandating insurance something fair was going to happen? As for the Republicans wanting to dismantle the HCR law, does anyone believe the insurance companies and big pharma will let them? It's the law they wanted. It's good for them. It's not about the people who need coverage and access to care.

Sorry LJM, but the "HCR" law is useless. Who cares if it is repealled or not. The HC insurance companies don't care nor did they want the law in the first place.

You obviously don't get it. No HC reform has happened.

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