Posted on 05/07/2006 4:16:44 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(AP) ELLETTSVILLE, Ind. With time running out to enroll in the federal government's new prescription drug benefit, advocates for the elderly say they are being inundated with phone calls and last-minute visits from seniors.
"The last two weeks have been crazy," said Jason Carnes, the center developer for the Area 10 Agency on Aging, where calls and visits have been running about twice the normal number.
Last week, President Bush and other administration officials urged an estimated 6 million to 7 million Medicare beneficiaries still without prescription drug coverage to enroll by May 15.
Under the program, 43 million elderly and disabled beneficiaries can enroll in a private plan that will subsidize the cost of their medicine. The savings vary depending upon one's prescription drug needs, income and the plan chosen.
Medicare officials claim the average enrollee will save about $1,100 a year.
In Indiana, many seniors say they have been deluged by mail from insurance companies promoting their prescription plans. Indiana alone has 43 such plans.
"It was confusing and overwhelming for me," said Sally Rudy, 74, of Fort Wayne.
She and her housemate, Eunice Conrad, 76, said they put off making a decision on the prescription plans because they take only a handful of medications.
Still, to be safe, both Conrad and Rudy enrolled in plans last week. Neither expects to save a lot of money in the near future.
Donna Cusick, development coordinator for the Allen County Council on Aging, said she has spoken to "well over 1,000" people either face-to-face or on the phone about the plans.
Some seniors are now saving hundreds of dollars a month on medications, while others, Cusick said, are paying more into the plan than they are getting out -- the necessary reality of any viable insurance plan.
On the whole, Cusick said the plans' early implementation problems have given way to a smoother system. The problems included computer glitches that kept some consumers from accessing their new benefits, prescription plan cards that didn't get sent and problems selecting plans.
"It was just chaos the first few weeks (in January)," she said.
Carnes, with the Ellettsville Agency on Aging, feels that many of the 11th-hour pleas for help the group has seen in the past week are coming from people who believed the May 15 deadline would be extended -- something Rep. Steve Buyer and other legislators had mentioned was possible.
"There are still rumors the deadline will be pushed back, but it now looks like that's not going to happen," Carnes said. "People don't want to pay the late enrollment fee penalty."
The penalty fee would add at least 1 percent of the national average monthly drug premium to a recipient's premium for every month they could have enrolled but did not.
Recipients would continue paying the penalty fee -- which increases each year along with the average premium -- for as long as they have Medicare drug coverage.
James Jackson, a 67-year-old Bloomington man who takes prescription inhalants for emphysema, said he was experiencing some deadline anxiety before making several calls to Carnes last week.
On Friday, thanks to Carnes' counsel, Jackson signed up for a Humana plan in which he will pay only a $12 monthly premium.
Who did you sign up with? I've been meaning to see about getting my dad signed up, but there are too many plans to choose from.
What's the income level that makes you ineligible for this? Just curious.
bump
By the way, how come they want to stop medicines from coming across the border, but it's OK for millions of Mexicans to come in????
It depends on which state you live in? I don't know why the difference in difference states, but it is.
If you got a letter from you Blue Cross Plan saying the plan you are on now is as good or better than the Medicare Rx D plan then you do not have to change and if down the road you decide to change to the Medicare Rx D plan you will not be penalized. Be sure to keep that letter though.
My husband and I were on the Premera Blue Cross Medigap with Rx coverage. This reimbursed us 1/2 of our Rx up to $3500 after the $250 deductible. We recieved a letter saying it was not as good as the Medicare Rx D and after research I saw that it wasn't. So we kept the Premera Blue Cross (without) the Rx for our medigap and then got Humana for our Rx.
And so will they.
Those who scream the loudest will probably be the first in line.
Obviously you have no idea what prescriptions cost.
My husbands was running over $250 a month after he had an aortic valve replacement and needed to take Rx.
I hope no one misses you after you off yourself, I sure would have missed my husband.
You need to get all your fathers medications and the amount he takes and then go to the www.Medicare.gov site and find the link for the Medicare Rx plan. The first thing (if I recall) that comes up is to sign up, don't do that just scroll down until you find the General search. They will have you put in all his RX. If you are on dial up, it is a slow process. If I recall there is a button you can click that then will bring up all the plans in HIS area and if you click the right button it will bring up the CHEAPEST PLAN FOR YOUR DAD on down. You can then compare three plans. Once you decide which plan is the one you want call them and sign up. You will also find out what pharmacy's honor the plan you pick. You need to get this done before I think the 14th of May or he will pay a 1% penalty for every month that goes by and this penalty will remain as part of his premium cost forever.
You may want to call your local Senior Citizens Center and see if they have computers there and can help.
Hope this helps.
P.S. If he is a veteran and gets Rx benefits through them he does not need to sign up.
There is NO income level that makes you ineligible.
If you are 65 and apply for, or have Medicare coverage you are eligible.
Now if your income is below (can't remember the exact amounts) around $30,000 for married couples or $15,000 for single YOU THEN DO NOT HAVE TO PAY THE PREMIUM.
Hmmmmm....trying to figure out why my MIL told me they were NOT eligible.....???
Not sure what MIL stands for. I presume something to do with Medicare?
They were probably telling you they were not eligible for the LOW INCOME, pay no premium.
I'm curious to know how many people who were dead set against this massive new entitlement went ahead and signed right up for it. Kind of like the dems who took the tax cuts, IMHO.
I think the confusion lies in the fact that when this was first starting they sent out a form to fill out and see if you were eligible for the LOW INCOME, NO PAY PREMIUM. Lots of people got those back saying they were not eligible. Misunderstanding the meaning they just assumed they were not eligible for the Medicare Rx D plan, when in fact ALL 65 who have Medicare are elligible, just not the Free Premium Part if your income is over a certain amount.
I imagine those who were dead set against it were not of the age to qualify for it in the first place.
MIL = Mother in law
LOL! I never would have guessed that one.
You might want to advise her to check into it again as like I said, I know lots of people misunderstood what that letter to qualify was all about.
I selected AARP's plan.
Yes it does! Thank you very much!!
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