Agency Sees Positive Results

Of Medicare Part D Plan

By Nancy K. Crevier

“It is definitely working for some,” said Dawn Macary, CHOICES assistant for the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging, despite the negative news that has hounded the new Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.

The Medicare Part D prescription drug plan is a voluntary enrollment program designed to provide partial payment for prescription drugs to those Connecticut residents who have no other plan to pay for drugs. Effective the beginning of 2006, enrollment in Medicare Part D began in November of 2005. Eligible residents have until May 15 to enroll in a program.

Medicare has contracted with 44 private drug companies to provide this new drug coverage, and it is the initial selection of a plan suited to the individual that has proved daunting to many hoping to take advantage of the program.

A heavier than expected rate of phone calls to area agencies, senior centers, and social service offices around the state at the start of the enrollment period last fall also created a frustrating scenario for people seeking assistance.  As people realized time was on their side, though, the flurry of unusual activity settled down, said Ms Macary.

“Most of the people having difficulties [with Medicare Part D] are people on ConnPACE and Medicaid.” Even those problems are being ironed out, though, she said.

“Medicare Part D is good for people who have no other drug plan. I have had people call me back and say the plans are saving money, especially for those who have been paying cash for their prescriptions,” she asserted.

The plan is particularly advantageous, she said, if the average yearly cost for drugs has been $2,200 or less.  Those enrolled in the program could see savings of up to $1,500.

“[People who have been spending about this much each year] are the people the plan is meant to help,” she went on to say. “It is also designed to help those with catastrophic illnesses. That is why there is that ‘doughnut hole’ in the middle of the coverage.”

She said that “hole” or “gap” in coverage has caused unnecessary concern for some. “There is a plan that covers that gap some may fall into. It is sort of like a budget plan, where they would pay the same amount premium every month. There are many options and we have plenty of wonderful volunteers who can answer questions,” she added.

Help in sorting through all of the plans and contingencies is readily available and Ms Macary said the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging has already aided nearly 2,000 people in signing up for a plan.

“People can call our agency office to receive a personal information form,” she said. “It takes about a week to process the form, once we receive it. Then we send back the three lowest plans best suited to the individual and they select one,” said Ms Macary. Essentially, the agency does the work of sorting through all of the available packages based on the information provided to them by the client. If a person is unhappy with the plan selected, she said, they can drop out and reselect a new plan one time between now and May 15.

Because 90,000 people in Connecticut on Medicare are eligible for the Part D plan, and only approximately 25 percent have signed up as of mid-February, Ms Macary said that the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging is gearing up for a big rush mid-April to mid-May. Extra volunteers to staff the phones and to input information will be on hand, she said.

Ms Macary is hopeful that anyone who is eligible for the program will sign up before May 15. After that date, a penalty of one percent per month for each month they were eligible to register, but did not, goes into effect. That penalty stays with the enrollee for life.

“Medicare Part D is really good for people without any prescription drug plan,” Ms Macary reiterated.

To enroll in Medicare Part D, call the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-994-9422 and ask for CHOICES.

Local residents can also contact Newtown Social Services at 270-4330 or the Newtown Senior Center at 270-4310 for assistance in enrolling in Medicare Part D.