admin @ Tue, 2005-10-25 04:46
.S. Rep. John Tierney said a new Medicare prescription drug plan is burdened with complex requirements and unanswered questions that must be addressed if seniors are going to take full advantage of the plan.
Tierney is pushing to introduce the plan to as many North Shore seniors as possible by holding information sessions, including two held in Lynn on Monday.
But he called the drug plan an imperfect alternative to requests in Congress for federal health officials to lower prescription costs for seniors by buying the drugs they need in bulk.
He said Medicare has already sent incorrect information on enrollment requirements for drug premium subsidies to low income seniors.
"You would be hard pressed to find a more complicated way to do this," he said Monday.
Beginning Jan. 1, the drug plan will be available to everyone with Medicare. Insurance companies will work with Medicare to offer the plan to seniors and negotiate drug prices.
Seniors can sign up for the plan between Nov. 15 and May 15 for a monthly premium of $37 based on income. But many details of the plan are still being worked out.
Lynn's state legislators said tentative plans call for the existing Prescription Advantage plan many seniors use to be "wrapped around" the new drug plan so seniors continue to receive Prescription Advantage services.
Exactly how the two plans will work side-by-side has yet to be worked out by state and Medicare officials.
"Seniors really have to gauge the impact of this," state Sen. Thomas M. McGee said.
Tierney is concerned that insurers will do their best to keep costs low for seniors over the next year, but warned they could hike prices once the plan is established.
His office is sending a newsletter next month to seniors considering the new drug plan.
Before they enroll in the plan, he said seniors should calculate prices for the drugs they use and make sure the plan covers those drugs. They should also make sure the plan allows them to purchase those drugs at the pharmacy they use.
Sheila Forrest of Lynn studied brochures on the drug plan before attending Monday morning's hearing.
"You have to be a Philadelphia lawyer to figure it out," she said.
She relies on a relatively small number of drugs to stay healthy and said the plan will save her some money.
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