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New Medicare Law Creates
Discount Drug Card Confusion
New York, NY, Feb. 11, 2004 -
The Medicare Rights Center (MRC), in an attempt to address concerns
about the new Medicare discount drug card program, has compiled a series
of questions and answers entitled,
76 Things You Should Know About the New Medicare Drug Discount Cards,
available on its web site at
www.medicarerights.org/rx76questionsframeset.html
People are confused, frustrated and
want clear answersnot a sales pitch, not a campaign commercial, said
Robert M. Hayes, president of MRC.
While people will know as soon as April
which companies will offer the Medicare discount drug cards in their
area, it remains to be seen whether the discount cards will actually
benefit them, he said.
For the millions of Americans with
incomes under $12,569 ($16,862 for couples), the card will likely
provide needed relief. For these people, the discount card will be free
and cover $600 in drug costs both this year and next, said Mr. Hayes.
But, for most older adults and people with disabilities, the new
discount cards offer no more savings than the cards they already have,
and in many cases, they actually offer less.
The cards are expected to save people 10
to 15 percent on some prescription drugs and cost as much as $30 per
year. Different cards will cover different drugs and offer different
discounts on the same drug. Additionally, companies offering the
discount cards can regularly change which drugs they discount and the
discounts they offer. Some cards will only work within a state and
others will cover larger regions so people who travel may run into
problems.
It will be very hard to choose which
card, if any, to buy. If your income is low, you are likely better off
taking advantage of the low-income discount drug cards $600 credit
toward medications and then switching to a pharmaceutical company
discount card, said Mr. Hayes. And if your income is above $12,569
($16,862), you may be better off with the discount card you are
currently using, getting your drugs from the Veterans Administration if
you qualify, or buying them from Canada.
MRC lists currently available federal,
state, pharmaceutical company and other discount drug programs on its
website at
www.medicarerights.org/rxframeset.html.
People who do not have access to the
internet can receive a hard copy by sending $5 to Discount Drug Card
Q&A/ Medicare Rights Center / 1460 Broadway / New York, NY 10036. |
