Letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mark McClellan

Letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mark McClellan

April 25, 2006

Administrator Mark McClellan

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

7500 Security Boulevard

Baltimore, MD 21244

Dear Administrator McClellan:

We are writing to express our concern for the Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in Medicare Part D drug plans but recently received notices from their drug plans that their drug coverage will be terminated due to lack of payment.

As you may know, tens of thousands of Medicare Part D enrollees requested to have their monthly premiums withheld from their monthly Social Security checks. However, according to the New York Times, your own agency has admitted that may of these requests have not been processed. In particular, the Times noted that it remains unclear as to who, if anyone, is working to rectify the problem. In the case of the United/AARP drug plan, AARP said United was working on it, United said your agency was responsible, but your agency said that Social Security Administration was responsible. In addition, many low-income beneficiaries also received these termination letters despite the fact that they qualify for low-income assistance and therefore do not pay premiums. It is vital that you work with representatives from United, AARP and the Social Security Administration to ensure that this problem is dealt with immediately. No senior should have to lose drug coverage due to a clerical error.

Finally, CMS recently announced that Medicare Part D enrollment deadline would be extended for those beneficiaries who qualify for the low-income subsidy. We believe this extension is a missed opportunity - all beneficiaries, regardless of income, should be given an extension. We believe the issues detailed above make it clear that CMS needs more time to work out the numerous problems beneficiaries have encountered during the enrollment period. Seniors should not be penalized for the government's poor management of Medicare Part D. CMS is far from resolving numerous issues with the prescription drug benefit. The enrollment deadline of May 15 should be extended so that seniors are afforded the opportunity to choose the plans that are best for them.

We thank you for your attention and look forward to your response.

http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2006/April/CMS_letter_4_25_06.html