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Medicare Triples Phone Operators, To Add Drug Prices
to Web Today
April 29, 2004 - Medicare has more than tripled the
number of customer service representatives available through its
toll-free information line, 1-800-MEDICARE, which also received a record
number of calls on Monday. The latest Website addition, where users will
be able to compare drug prices and find out which pharmacies in their
area accept the new Medicare-approved drug discount cards, is due to be
posted today.
Call volume already has increased 150 percent since
April of 2003, with over 3 million calls in the first four months of
2004 alone. This past Monday, the hotline received an all-time record
high of 111,904 calls. Medicare officials estimate that 1-800-MEDICARE
will receive nearly 13 million phone calls in 2004, up from fewer than 6
million in 2003.
New additions to
www.medicare.gov, include the drug shopping comparisons and
information about state and drug manufacturer programs that offer
discounted or free medicines, programs that provide help with other
health care costs, and Medicare health plans that include prescription
coverage.
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said the 24-hour a
day, seven-day-a-week hotline has hired 1,000 additional trained
customer service representatives, for a total of nearly 1,400, in order
to handle the rapidly rising number of calls generated by the new
Medicare law. The expansion of the call center is also being done to
handle the anticipated influx of calls generated by the availability of
drug discount cards beginning May 3, as well as the ongoing addition of
new prescription drug and preventive care benefits being added to
Medicare in the next two years.
HHS is encouraging people with Medicare to call
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or go to
www.Medicare.gov for personalized assistance in comparing drug
discount cards or to learn about other benefits being offered under the
new law.
Earlier this year HHS also increased funding for
the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), which provide
one-on-one assistance to Medicare beneficiaries through trained
counselors who are provided training from CMS. The added funding was to
meet the increased demand for information about the new Medicare
benefits now available.
"CMS is committed to making sure that Medicare
beneficiaries get the information they need to make the best decisions
in their health care," said CMS Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D.,
Ph.D. "The information available at 1-800-MEDICARE and
www.medicare.gov, supplemented with one-on-one information
beneficiaries can get at their local SHIPS and other local organizations
that work with seniors will help them be some of the best informed
health care consumers in the nation today."
In addition to an increased call volume, the topics
of the questions have changed with the top five questions now focusing
on the discount card program. The number one question is about the $600
credit on the discount card for low-income beneficiaries, with questions
about card sponsors a close second. Rounding out the top five are
questions about how to enroll in the drug card program, the cost of the
drug card, and a general overview about the program.
The six call centers provide information about
Medicare and the services that beneficiaries get from Medicare in
English, Spanish and TDD for the hearing impaired. To help them in
choosing a new Medicare-approved discount drug card, callers will choose
the language they prefer through a voice-prompt system, and then be
connected directly to a person who will help them find the card to fit
their individual needs and location. Callers also have the option to use
the voice-prompt system to get the answers they need from recorded
information.
Among many services, counselors at the toll-free
line will be able to help Medicare beneficiaries and their family
members compare the prices of drugs being offered through the new
Medicare-endorsed discount cards that will be available in May as well
as providing names of participating drug stores in their areas.
Questions that cannot be answered by the customer service representative
right away will be referred to the call center's research staff for
resolution. Call center operators will also be able to refer callers to
discount drug card sponsors and local state health insurance assistance
programs for additional information and help. In addition to being
trained to answer questions on the new Medicare law, customer service
representatives can also mail printed materials to callers who request
it.
1-800-MEDICARE is just one of the information
resources available to help Medicare beneficiaries and their families
choose a discount drug card, nursing home, home health agency, health
plan or other Medicare-related health care service. The award winning
www.medicare.gov has the same information available at an Internet
user's fingertips and the CMS recently upgraded the Web site to increase
the capacity to handle additional information and usage.
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