|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Medicare Handbook Error Fuels Argument that Program
Confusing
Oct. 7, 2005 - The "Medicare and You" handbook,
which all senior citizens should receive shortly, mistakenly says
low-income beneficiaries will be able to enroll in any prescription drug
plan available in their area without paying premiums, according to the
KaiserNetwork.org Daily Report on Thursday. Critics say it is proof of
how confusing the program is to senior citizens.
In an editorial today, the
Orlando Sentinel said,
the error in the handbook could steer more
than 17 million low-income recipients toward a bad choice. Rather than
mail out letters correcting the error, the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services has updated its Web site and is spreading the word to
the companies selling the plans.
That's not good enough, said the Sentinel, given that many seniors,
particularly poor ones, aren't adept at using computers.
Quoting from an AP story, KaiserNetwork.org said
yesterday that CMS is mailing out the handbook to 35 million
beneficiaries "in waves," and some beneficiaries are expected to receive
them this weekend.
In describing the financial subsidies available to
low-income individuals, the handbook says that beneficiaries with annual
incomes at or below $14,355 for an individual or $19,245 for a couple
who have few assets can receive financial assistance with monthly
premiums and deductibles. About 14 million beneficiaries are thought to
be eligible for the subsidies, and 3.1 million people have applied for
the extra benefits. However, the handbook "incorrectly" indicates that
all plans available to low-income beneficiaries will charge no premium,
the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
According to CMS spokesperson Gary Karr,
beneficiaries who qualify for the premium exemption only can take
advantage of the additional financial assistance if they sign up for a
plan with a premium at or below the regional average, said the Plain
Dealers report. About 40% of plans qualify to offer no premium,
according to the AP. Medicare staff members caught the mistake, the
Plain Dealer reports.
CMS on Tuesday circulated a memo to members of
Congress explaining the error and describing how health plans can ensure
beneficiaries do not select the wrong prescription drug plan. The memo
said CMS will rely on insurers to explain how the zero-premium coverage
works.
The agency also is giving out the correct
information on its Medicare hotline and posting it on its Web site, Karr
said in
The Hill. He added that CMS has told insurers selling plan to
low-income beneficiaries that they must make clear whether the financial
subsidy they receive will cover the premium. Medicare officials also are
informing state health insurance programs and senior advocacy groups
about the mistake. Karr attributed the error to "inadequate
proofreading," the AP reports. CMS also said most low-income
beneficiaries will not be affected by the mistake because they will be
enrolled automatically in a drug plan, according to
CQ HealthBeat.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was not
satisfied with CMSs assurances that Medicare beneficiaries would not be
befuddled by the bad information, accoding to a report in
The Hill. Reid took advantage of the agencys foul-up to criticize
the drug benefit, which is provided by numerous private companies from
which beneficiaries will choose, as needlessly complex.
The administration has created a drug benefit that
is so confusing, even the people running Medicare cant get it right,
Reid said.
According to The Hill story by Jeffrey Young, Unlike Reid, AARP says it
is not overly worried about the impact of the error and is satisfied
with the steps that the CMS is taking. Theyre doing what they can, an
AARP spokesman said. The group, which endorsed the 2003 Medicare bill,
will help spread the word, he added.
Broadcast Coverage
NPR's "Morning
Edition" on Thursday reported on the error in the Medicare handbook.
The segment includes comments from Robert Hayes, director of the
Medicare Rights Center; Karr; and Judith Stein, executive director
of the
Center for Medicare Advocacy (Rovner, "Morning Edition," NPR, 10/6).
The complete NPR segment is available
online in RealPlayer.
For the Kaiser Daily Report click here.
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
