Mark McClellan Quotes (81 Quotes)

Every day we're seeing more and more people get their prescription drugs smoothly, and we have other steps in place to make sure that anyone who is having difficulty can get the drugs they need.

We're going to help people get a good fit.

They're definitely coming out ahead.

Texas has a very strong health care system. Physicians are doing a wonderful job meeting needs under difficult circumstances.

We are enforcing compliance with plan contracts, including call responsiveness, formulary requirements, appeals processes, and pharmacy contracting.

Consumers want and need information to get better care at a lower cost. Thanks to strong local leadership and a broad national partnership, this pilot project will bring together information from the private and public sectors to provide a clear picture of quality and cost for ambulatory care providers.

The drug coverage is the most important new benefit in Medicare in 40 years.

Vaccines against these diseases are effective in preventing hospitalizations and death. However, many at-risk people are not getting the vaccines they need.

A change this big in a short period of time is bound to have some problems.

As a result of the strong competition in Pennsylvania, Medicare coverage will include options that cost less and also that provide coverage that goes beyond Medicare's standard benefit, ... With better opportunities to save and to get the coverage that works for you, it's about time to start thinking about how you or someone you care about can take advantage of the new coverage.

Strong competition between these organizations is resulting in additional benefits and lower costs for people with Medicare,

It's like most people don't do their Christmas shopping in September.

We've seen enrollment continue at a steady pace, faster than what we saw before the late December surge.

The benefit needs to work for everyone. We're working ... to make sure that no one leaves without the prescriptions that they need.

If we take incremental steps now, steady steps now, we can make the program sustainable without having to go to drastic changes in taxes or drastic changes to benefits.

Everyone in Medicare who lives in Michigan, no matter what their income or how they get their health care, can choose coverage that reflects what they want including lower cost, more complete coverage and convenient access.

We want to make sure people get the support that they need,

Everyone in Medicare, no matter what their income, can choose a plan that reflects what they want.

Right now the website's main use is for training and familiarity purposes for those who work with beneficiaries. It's not yet time to use the tool to make your decision.

CMS has significant concerns about the GAO's finding. These individuals will get effective, comprehensive prescription drug coverage when the new Medicare prescription drug benefit begins.

I'm working with the states, with the plans, with all of our partners to make sure people get the prescriptions they need.

Because we are tracking plan wait times on call lines, because we're tracking complaints, we will take prompt enforcement actions.

When you look at the people who say they don't plan to enroll, it's mainly because they already have coverage. They have coverage through a former employer or through a Medicare health plan, and that's just great.

We're definitely going to be ahead of the January predictions.

Signing up before the 15th makes it more likely you will get your prescriptions filled quickly the first time you use your coverage.

These tools will all be available and complete well before anyone needs to make a decision,

They'll be able to leave the pharmacy with their prescription in hand, even if there is not immediate evidence of what plan they're in.

This action sends a clear message to those who would take advantage of patients with serious illnesses. Just because you cross the border, you cannot evade the law,

It just doesn't make sense for us to be paying that much money on complications of diseases we can prevent.

The competition between these organizations has resulted in lower costs than expected.

The drug plans are offering better benefits at lower prices than independent experts had predicted because they are competing to serve everyone in Medicare. Drug plans know beneficiaries don't have to sign up. It's a voluntary benefit,

The plans will reimburse states' costs for the cost they would have paid. If there is a difference, Medicare will cover the difference.

Texas will be made whole, and the needs of people will continue to come first.

With strong competition in the Medicare drug benefit, we are seeing aggressive negotiation, greater use of generic drugs and other effective steps to slow down drug cost growth.

I am pleased to see Colorado committing to the health care of children.

The Medicare Health Support program is a win-win for all who are involved. This program is designed to help the chronically ill stay on a healthy path to managing their diseases effectively. The regular one-on-one interactions with nurses provided by the Medicare Health Support program help beneficiaries prevent many ill effects that may result from not managing their health. This, in turn, saves on healthcare costs by keeping the chronically ill healthier and out of the hospitals.

There's no need to rush into this. There's plenty of time to make a decision and make a decision you can be confident about.

The FDA, sponsors, and the clinical community have learned a great deal about breast implants, especially silicone gel-filled breast implants, over the last 10 years, ... Based on this knowledge, this revised guidance is our view on the information needed to provide a reasonable assurance of safety, and to allow women and physicians to make informed decisions about silicone implants.

So far, we haven't seen comments that we should do something vastly different from what we're doing now. We'll keep looking closely to make sure we're striking that balance.

Anyone who takes these products in sufficient quantities to build muscle or improve performance is putting himself or herself at risk for serious long-term and potentially irreversible health consequences.

Nobody should be looking in detail through 40 different choices, so the question is, how can you quickly help people go from 40 to the four or five most useful to them.

The poll is definitely showing that more knowledge means more favorable views.

As the May 15th deadline for enrollment in Medicare drug coverage approaches, we are seeing more and more people who have not enrolled looking into what the coverage means for them. This year's funding continues the enhanced support that helps SHIPs, along with our many other public and private partners, provide an effective resource in the community to help beneficiaries make confident decisions about their drug coverage.

Seniors in this country will never again have to choose between paying for their drugs and paying for their basic necessities, such as food and utilities.

Our surveys show that, 5-to-1, people are very satisfied with the program. For people who have had problems, we're finding the problems and fixing them.

Consumers need and want more useful information to get better care at a lower cost. Thanks to strong local leadership and a broad national partnership, this pilot project will bring together information from the private and public sectors to provide a clear picture of quality and cost for the ambulatory care providers in a region.

Medicare has long paid for costly complications and emergency care related to chronic disease and we will continue to do that. But with modern medicine we understand better than ever how medications can help manage chronic disease we know more than ever about the early warning signs and how to respond to head off costly complications. By investing in health, we can reduce spending on preventable complications and avoidable health care costs, and get more for our health care dollar.

No Medicare beneficiary has to make a decision now, ... This is the time to start thinking about Medicare prescription drug coverage.

They are overwhelmingly saying it is worth the effort, and they will get savings and security, and in many cases, more savings than they expected. And we have the resources to help any other senior who is interested in taking advantage of the same program.

The plans will reimburse ... the costs that they would have paid for the drugs under the Medicare program. If there's a difference, if the state reimbursement rates are higher, then Medicare will pay that difference in cost.