Why does the Medicare Calculator reference “Average U.S. Retail” prices?
These average prices are based on the “usual and customary” prices for millions of prescriptions submitted to the claims processor from U.S. retail pharmacies. It is an accurate representation of the average prices that will be charged by Plan D providers. This is validated by the findings of various government officials and agencies that report: “The new Medicare drug benefit fails to deliver drug prices as low as those found at the Department of Veteran Affairs, in Canada and at high-volume U.S. pharmacies a congressional report said yesterday…They were about 3% higher than those paid by consumers who got their drugs at (some U.S. retail stores or on line)” and “the prices offered by the Medicare drug plans are higher than all 4 benchmarks, in some cases significantly so,” the report concluded. “This increases costs to seniors and federal tax payers and makes it doubtful that the complicated design of Medicare Part D provides any tangible benefit to anyone but drug manufacturers an
