Now is the Time to Enroll in the Medicare Rx Program

Now is the Time to Enroll in the Medicare Rx Program
Rep. Boozman's Column for the Week of December 4, 2005

Washington, Dec 5 -

Senior citizens across the country got some good news last month when the enrollment period for the new Medicare prescription drug benefit began. Too many seniors living on fixed incomes cannot afford the live-saving drugs they need and are forced to choose between buying food or medicine. This is wrong and the new Medicare prescription drug plan will help this injustice.

The new prescription drug component is one of the biggest improvements to Medicare in the forty-year history of the program. The benefit was created as a result of the "Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act," which I joined a majority of my colleagues in Congress to pass. This landmark legislation will ensure that anyone eligible for Medicare can also select prescription drug coverage as part of their Medicare benefits.

The Medicare prescription drug program gives seniors coverage at an affordable rate. Once enrolled, Medicare pays 75% of a participant's drug costs up to $2,250 (after annual deductible per person is met) and almost all of a participants drug costs over $3,600. Low-income seniors qualify for extra assistance for their deductible and monthly premiums through the program making their out-of-pocket costs very minimal. Almost one in three people with Medicare will qualify for extra help and Medicare will pay for almost all of their prescription drug costs.

Another important selling point for this program is that it is voluntary. Many seniors already have prescription drug coverage and they are happy with their current plan. In those cases, seniors can participate in Medicare and still keep their current private prescription drug coverage if they so chose. However any senior who is eligible for Medicare, is also eligible for this new benefit, regardless of income and resources, health status, or current prescription expenses. Since it is not a required program though, seniors must opt-in.

Between now and May 15, 2006, seniors can begin enrolling in the Medicare prescription drug program. Once Medicare receives the required paperwork, the participant can select a plan that best suits their needs. Information on the plans is available online at www.medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-633-4227. Again, this program is voluntary, and Medicare participants are not required to sign-up for it. However, if a senior wants to participate and does not enroll before the May 15, 2006 deadline, they will face a penalty for late enrollment.

All of this is to say that if you are a senior interested in getting assistance you're your prescription drug costs through Medicare, now is the time to begin considering your options. Medicare has established an excellent on-line resource at www.medicare.gov that provides extensive information on the program and the plans available to participants. They also have representatives available by phone at 800-633-4227 or the Seniors Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) at 800-224-6330 to help guide you through the process. My office can also be of assistance, as can local Social Security offices and Arkansas Agency on Aging offices.

This program will provide a great deal of help for seniors coping with high drug prices, but only if they enroll. I encourage seniors who are interested in the program to begin researching and discussing their options with their families now. The May 2006 deadline may appear to be a long way off, but it will be here quickly.

http://www.boozman.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=37511