Medicare drug benefit

By Waxahachie Daily Ligt - Friday, December 7, 2007

The calendar during November and December tends to get a little full. Between Thanksgiving, Christmas and all the festivities in between, often we have more to do than we have time. But one calendar item is essential for any Medicare-eligible senior age 65 and over, the open enrollment season for the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit.

Running Nov. 15 through Dec. 31, open enrollment allows Medicare recipients to sign up for a prescription drug plan or change their current plan if they so desire. Like the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (also known as Medicare Part D), participating in open enrollment season is completely voluntary. Seniors who are happy with the drug coverage they receive from a private plan, or who aren’t interested in signing up for Medicare’s drug benefit by no means have to, and seniors who do have Medicare drug coverage and don’t want to change plans do not need to do anything to continue receiving their coverage.

The prescription drug benefit allows seniors to pick a program that fits their personal health and financial needs. Texas seniors can choose from one of 56 plans during the open enrollment period.

Picking a plan can seem daunting, which is why the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has set up a Web site, www.medicare.gov, and hotline, 1-800-MEDICARE, to assist seniors in comparing plans and selecting the one that is right for them. When using these resources, it’s important to have a list of the medications the senior is taking handy, as it will help determine what plan is right for them. Additional assistance is also available to low-income seniors, so it’s important that these seniors understand the options available to them.

At the conclusion of last year’s open enrollment period, more than 1.4 million Americans had enrolled in the prescription drug benefit. If you or a loved one are eligible and don’t currently have prescription drug coverage or wish to change the coverage you currently have, mark your calendar: Dec. 31, is the last day of open-enrollment. And just like Christmas shopping, it’s best not to wait until the last minute.

Medicare Help on Part D sign-up

By THE WASHINGTON POST - Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Medicare beneficiaries signing up for prescription drug coverage (Medicare Part D) now through Dec. 31 have a new Web tool to help them compare plans and costs.

Called Plan Finder, the Medicare site lists premiums, co-pays and deductibles by state.

Under Medicare regulations, insurers can't change tier prices before 2009 but can move drugs from tier to tier.

But according to the Medicare Rights Center in New York, if you're on the drug before its tier changes, you can continue paying the cheaper price.

Hassles? Call Medicare (800-633-4227).

SOURCES OF HELP


Plan Finder: From Medicare's home page, www.medicare.gov, click on "Medicare Prescription Drug Plans -- 2008 Plan Data."


A comprehensive list of resources for Medicare Part D comes from the staff of Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.: www.defazio.house.gov.

Medicare: For tips and information, go to www.medicare.gov/medicarereform/drugbenefit.asp.

Medicare Access for Patients-Rx, a coalition of groups providing guidance to people with chronic diseases and disabilities: www.maprx.info.

AARP Medicare Interactive Counselor: www.aarp.org/health/medicare.

Families USA: www.familiesusa.org/issues/medicare/rx-drug-center/for-consumers.

A Kaiser Family Foundation tracker site lets you compare drug plans: www.kff.org/medicare/healthplantracker/index.jsp.
Read more

Medicare Rights Center: www.medicarerights.org. See "A guide through the Medicare maze."

AARP Texas Vote News Alert; Hutchison, Cornyn Vote to Block Senate Decision

Giving Medicare Power to Negotiate Lower Drug Prices
AARP Texas - Wed, 18 Apr 2007

AUSTIN, Texas, April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite the support of a majority of the U.S. Senate and nearly 90 percent of surveyed Texans, Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn voted to block consideration of legislation that would give Medicare the power to bargain for lower prescription drug prices -- S.3, The Medicare Fair Prescription Drug Price Act of 2007.

Similar legislation, H.R. 4, passed the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.

TEXAS VOTED TO BLOCK S.3 GIVING MEDICARE THE POWER TO BARGAIN FOR LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES John Cornyn X Kay Bailey Hutchison X

"Working Texans were poorly represented today in the U.S. Senate on this all
important issue," said AARP-Texas State Director Bob Jackson. "Score one for the pharmaceutical industry and the power of their lobby."

Jackson said the bill would have put downward pressure on Medicare drug prices. Given the overwhelming support in both Texas and the U.S. for giving Medicare the power to negotiate, he said AARP will continue working so that the will of the people will eventually be heard.

"We are particularly disappointed with Sen. Hutchison's vote as this is a reversal from her previous vote in support of negotiating drug prices. Nearly 11,000 Texans called her offices and another 1,400 sent e-mails or faxes urging her to support the bargaining for lower prescription drug prices," said Jackson.

David Sloane, AARP Director of Government Relations, added: "Pharmaceutical manufacturers have given more than $20 million in campaign contributions for the last two cycles alone. They followed that up over the last few months with misleading polling and disinformation aimed at scaring older Americans into preserving the exorbitant profits that pharmaceutical companies make on brand name drugs. Senators should know this issue is not going away. No amount of campaign money can trump the will of 90 percent of Americans."

AARP notified the 110th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its 38 million members, and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members. "We believe people make the right choices when they understand the issues and position taken by their elected officials. AARP intends to ensure that its members get that information," Jackson concluded.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Despite the outcome in the Senate today, prescription drug affordability remains a high priority for AARP and its members. Because an overwhelming majority of Americans support S.3, AARP is confident this issue will be back. The association will continue to fight to make prescription drugs more affordable for all Americans. While millions of older Americans and persons with disabilities have been helped by Medicare Part D drug plans, more should be done to put downward pressure on drug costs. AARP will continue to support legislation that would allow Americans to safely and legally import lower-priced prescription drugs from abroad, and legislation to help bring generic drugs to market sooner, including generic versions of biologic therapies. AARP is also working to pass legislation that would reduce the asset test that prevents low-income people from qualifying for extra help under the Medicare drug program.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.