Rep. Courtney to Seniors: Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program Open Season Underway

Press Release

Rep. Courtney to Seniors: Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program Open Season Underway

Congressman Reminds Connecticut Seniors to Review Current Drug Plan or Register Today to Avoid Penalties

Washington, Dec 5 - Congressman Joe Courtney launched an effort today to make sure qualified seniors enroll in the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program during the open enrollment period, which ends on December 31, 2007.

Seniors who are eligible for the program, but do not enroll, will face a one percent cumulative surcharge for each month they do not enroll in the program.

The Congressman also encourages current participants to check their plan to make sure that it still meets their needs. As enrollees of the Medicare Part D program likely know, providers are permitted to change the plan formulary at any time throughout the one year enrollment period without penalty. This makes the open enrollment period that much more critical to enrollees so that they may change their plan if it is no longer meeting their health care needs.

Congressman Courtney is leading an effort in Congress to make changes to the Medicare Part D program. The Connecticut Congressman is the original sponsor of H.R. 2056, a bill to improve the Medicare part D prescription drug program by removing the late enrollment penalties, the infamous ‘donut hole' gap in coverage, and the ability of providers to unilaterally change the formulary of the individual program's offering.

"I want to help Connecticut's seniors make an informed decision about their health care needs in this small window of opportunity and to avoid any late penalties," stated Rep. Joe Courtney. "I urge seniors to call 1-800-MEDICARE to receive the assistance they need to make this decision."

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