Now I know that this will come as a complete shock to you …
… shocked a la Casablanca …
… … … I am “shocked”. (Trying to do my best Claude Rains as Captain Renault “I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” in Casablanca imitation.)
Here are some docs that say:
"Unintended Consequences of Caps on Medicare Drug Benefits"
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/354/22/2349
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Conclusions A cap on drug benefits was associated with lower drug consumption and unfavorable clinical outcomes. In patients with chronic disease, the cap was associated with poorer adherence to drug therapy and poorer control of blood pressure, lipid levels, and glucose levels. The savings in drug costs from the cap were offset by increases in the costs of hospitalization and emergency department care.
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Translation: Another gubamint program that (cribbing from the Five Iron Laws of Big Government): 1. doesn't work but never end!; 2. makes things worse for the people to be helped; 3. UIC (aka Un Intended Consequences); 4. costly and wasteful and under estimated; 5. diverts money and energy from other positive, productive uses!
AND, it actually puts the country deeper in debt, marches us further down the road to socialism, and enshrines yet another benefit that can't never be taken back!
Guess we win the negative pick 6!