| Medicare to Drop Viagra when Prescribed for Sexual Purposes |
Viagra News |
Date: October 14, 2006
The beneficiaries received the materials explaining benefits which say prescription-drug plans are to drop Viagra and other ED drugs for erectile dysfunction from next year.
Medicare, the federal health plan available to people with disabilities, decides to restructure its coverage policy of prescription drugs from the next year. The changes would be mainly on erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, following the policy change by Medicaid, the health plan for the poor, last year.
Deb Wiethop, a spokeswoman says that most health plans which are offered by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri, do not cover erectile-dysfunction drugs. Even plans offered to private employers do not cover the ED drugs. The only Medicare plan that covers the ED drugs is offered by United Healthcare Corp The Department of Veteran Affairs, which covers these drugs, has negotiated a discount of 50 per cent on the drugs for erectile dysfunction with its makers.
The issue, whether to include Viagra and other ED drugs in the original benefit of Medicare plans started heating slowly in a debate in Washington two years ago. At that time the makers of these ED drugs and the American Urological Association successfully fought legislators proving it to be a necessary medication.
Today, Viagra, Cialis and Levitra will cost $9 to $ 11 per pill without insurance coverage, while 30 million Americans are affected by erectile dysfunction.
Source: www.stltoday.com
Viagra News |