Issa Urges 49th Congressional District Seniors to Review Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Options Before May 15

Issa Urges 49th Congressional District Seniors to Review Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Options Before May 15

Rep. Darrell Issa today applauded the 72,756 49th Congressional District seniors who have enrolled in the new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit and said there is still time for those who have not signed up to look into the drug benefit before the May 15 deadline. Issa also voted in favor of House Resolution 802 today, which encourages all eligible Medicare beneficiaries who have not yet elected to enroll in the new Medicare Part D benefit to review the available options and to determine whether enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug plan best meets their current and future needs for prescription drug coverage. According to information released this week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 84% of all seniors in the 49th Congressional District who participate in Medicare have signed up for the prescription drug benefit.

Throughout California, 81% of the 4,251,884 Medicare beneficiaries have signed up for the prescription drug benefit.

"California Seniors have rejected criticism that this plan wouldn't provide meaningful assistance to cover prescription drug costs," said Issa. "Seniors in the forty-ninth district have recognized the clear benefit of harnessing the bargaining power of 40 million seniors to obtain prescription drugs at reduced rates and having coverage to help pay catastrophic costs."

Congress passed landmark legislation in 2004 creating the prescription drug benefit. Under the plan that went into effect this year and is endorsed by the AARP, after seniors pay an annual deductible of no more than $250, the benefit can pay 75 percent of senior citizens' drug costs up to $2,250 and 95 percent of out-of-pocket costs above $3,600. The Medicare drug benefit also pays 100 percent of all prescription drug costs for low-income seniors.

To help inform seniors about the drug benefit, Congressman Issa has hosted informational meetings for seniors about the program and has provided information to seniors through mail, e-mail, and internet outreach efforts.

Seniors face a May 15 deadline to sign-up for prescription drug coverage or they face higher premiums and will have to wait until November 15 to sign-up for coverage that will begin in 2007.

"I urge all seniors who think they may be eligible for prescription drug coverage to contact Medicare to find out if there's a plan that could help them with current or future drug costs," said Issa. "By acting now and signing up before May 15 seniors can get the best premiums and immediate coverage."

For help in choosing the prescription drug benefit plan that best fits their needs, seniors can call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov for more information.

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