Posted on 05/15/2006 10:38:48 AM PDT by syriacus
When Mike Leavitt first came to Rhode Island last summer to promote the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, the feeling across the country was that the new program was so complex, that millions of seniors would just avoid it. Flanked by local officials at a Warwick senior center, the Health and Human Services secretary tried to assuage everyones concerns in advance.
If youre a senior, dont worry, he said. There will be plenty of people to help you.
It turns out that despite all the confusion, and all the bad publicity at the beginning of the year when some enrollees coverage didnt work, most seniors werent scared off at all. In a conference call on Wednesday, with just six days before the May 15 sign-up deadline, Leavitt announced that Medicare Part D enrollment hadnt just surpassed early predictions of 28 million to 30 million: It had already passed 37 million and was still rising.
With the help of so many, weve been able to make history, Leavitt said, adding that, if all went well, 90 percent of eligible seniors could be enrolled by the deadline.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not release updated state-by-state figures, but as of April 18, 127,020 of Rhode Islands 176,960 Medicare beneficiaries 72 percent had prescription coverage, according to the Medicare Rx Access Network of Rhode Island, an alliance that is promoting the program.
At that point, coverage nationwide was at 70 percent (as of May 8, when Leavitts numbers were tallied, it had surpassed 86 percent), so Brian Cresta, regional administrator for Medicare, said Rhode Islands numbers likely have kept rising as well. Nationally, weve been enrolling about 650,000 people a week, Cresta said.
CMS figures as of April 27 show that about 44,500 Rhode Islanders had enrolled in stand-alone Part D plans, with the biggest share 20.7 percent going to UnitedHealthcare, which has marketed its plans through the AARP and produced a widely distributed Part D guide.
Humana Insurance Co., which offered the lowest-priced plan, for $7.32 a month, seized a 17.8-percent market share, while Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island had 13.5 percent. But Rhode Island is an unusual market, officials say, because Medicare Advantage plans are extra-popular here. As of April 27, 49,400 seniors in the state were in such plans, 70 percent of them with Blue Cross and 29.4 percent of them with United. (The balance of those covered, a CMS spokeswoman said, are getting prescription coverage from other sources.)
Cresta said the biggest help with enrollment has been word-of-mouth from seniors whove found the benefit works well for them. Not that CMS would rely on word-of-mouth alone: 46,000 outreach events have been held nationwide, 1,000 of them last week.
The Medicare Rx Access Network held its own educational and promotional event on Monday at the East Providence Senior Center, and Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty, who is heavily involved in elderly affairs, co-hosted a meeting with legislative leaders at a senior center in Pawtucket on Wednesday, This is a work in progress, Fogarty said in an interview. There are clearly some issues that still need to be worked out. But we believe that a proper use of the program cannot only help keep people healthy, but can also save money direct state dollars.
At least some seniors are already saving money, Mondays event showed. Beverly Gofton, of Warwick, who is diabetic said even after paying her premium, shes saving $95 a month. Last December, I paid $147 for my monthly supply of insulin, she said. In January, I went back with my card, and I only paid a $28 co-pay.
The media contributed once again to the consternation of many and the illumination of few.
We need the gap.
Yes.
I disagree. The meds might keep some seniors healthy enough to stay out of nursing homes, which, in the end, are paid for by medicaid.
The plans can make it easy for seniors to keep up with their meds.
My mother's premiums will be deducted from her monthly direct-deposit social security check.
My mother might be able to have 90 days worth of medicine mailed to her (for an even bigger savings to her).
Seniors will not need to remember to mail a monthly premium check to the insurer and seniors might not even need to risk going outside their homes to get their meds.
My mother has worked hard, for 10 years, to stick to a diet and to keep up with medications that help her stay off of dialysis. I'll bet other seniors have similar stories.
Thanks for providing the explanation, Spunky.
You put that very nicely.
Thanks, Spunky. Luckily I have 3 more years to figure this out. There seems to be a lot of garbage to sort through.
SHHH! You're making too much sense!
Ouch... my aching wallet.
That it is. The final butchers bill on this one is gonna be a record setter.
Yes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.