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Final Medicare Enrollment Effort Begins Monday
Across the U.S.
Hundreds of events
planned for 'Medicare Rx Get Enrolled Week'
April 12, 2006 – With the deadline for enrollment
for the Medicare drug program looming – May 15 – and new polls showing
satisfaction with the program, a week-long grassroots effort is being
held April 17-23 in all 50 states and Washington D.C. to help senior
citizens get enrolled. Medicare Today, a national partnership of more
than 400 organizations, today announced "Medicare Rx Get Enrolled Week."
Medicare experts and volunteers will provide seniors with the
information they need to make decisions about enrollment in Medicare's
prescription drug benefit.
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Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, administrator of the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, joined Medicare Today members
in announcing the activities being held in pharmacies, hospitals, senior
centers, businesses, churches, synagogues and mosques -- all with
experts on hand to answer questions and assist seniors with the
enrollment process.
This intensive nationwide effort is coming a month
before the current Medicare drug benefit early enrollment window closes.
Medicare Today also released a new poll showing
that a large majority of seniors who have already enrolled in the new
benefit found the enrollment process easier than they had heard, and a
report prepared by the Lewin Group quantifying the reduced
pharmaceutical costs seniors who have chronic conditions could see under
the benefit.
"Seniors have only one month left before the
deadline for early enrollment in the prescription drug benefit ends,"
said Mary R. Grealy, president of the Healthcare Leadership Council,
which is coordinating Medicare Today's efforts.
"More and more seniors are signing up to
participate in this new drug benefit, but millions of eligible seniors
are still considering their options. We want to link seniors with
trusted community experts to provide the objective information they need
to evaluate their options and make a decision before the May 15 early
enrollment deadline."
Medicare Today partners -- including the American
Academy of Family Physicians, the National Association of Chain Drug
Stores, Easter Seals and others -- are providing consumers with
nonpartisan, easy-to-understand information about Medicare's new
prescription drug coverage.
Research released in conjunction with today's
announcement shows that although nearly two-thirds of seniors surveyed
had heard negative reports about the new Medicare prescription drug
benefit, those who have already enrolled found the process easier than
they anticipated. More than seven out of 10 (73%) of those surveyed said
that the enrollment process was "very easy" or "relatively easy."
Additional findings include:
● Of those who have already enrolled, about three
out of five (59%) said that the process was easier than they anticipated
it would be.
● Of those who signed up without assistance, 89
percent said they experienced no problems with the enrollment process.
● More than seven in 10 enrollees have already
tried to use the new benefit. Eighty-six percent of them report
experiencing no difficulties in obtaining their prescriptions under the
new benefit.
The survey also found, however, that negative media
reports about the new prescription drug program are affecting some
seniors' enrollment decisions. The poll found that 63 percent were aware
of negative media stories regarding the drug benefit and, of that group,
nearly half (45%) said they were less likely to enroll as a result of
the stories.
The poll of 1,012 seniors was conducted on behalf
of Medicare Today by American Viewpoint, an independent market research
firm based in Alexandria, Va.
Research showing how much seniors enrolled in the
benefit would pay for medications to treat common chronic conditions
found significant cost savings in every state. The report looked at an
enrollee's average cost -- given a range of plans available in the
states -- for commonly prescribed drugs to treat arthritis, diabetes,
hypertension, osteoporosis and respiratory illness.
The research found that 84 percent of Medicare
beneficiaries have been diagnosed with one or more of these five
conditions and could see significant savings on their prescription
drugs. Nationwide, a Medicare beneficiary with one of these five common
conditions could cut costs by more than half (58%) for their
prescription drugs.
The research was conducted on behalf of Medicare
Today by the Lewin Group, a nonpartisan healthcare and human services
research and consulting firm.
The research shows that even those who currently
have prescription drug coverage could benefit under the new Medicare
program. Without question, however, those who stand to benefit most are
those who are currently paying for their prescriptions out-of-pocket.
"Medicare Rx Get Enrolled Week" Events Planned in
Every State
Medicare Today organizers are planning hundreds of
events in communities nationwide during the Week to reach seniors and
provide individualized counsel and resources. Activities include:
* Presentations held in conjunction with community
organizations, such as senior centers, Rotary clubs, service
organizations and local patient support groups;
* Informational materials distributed in grocery
stores, pharmacies, hospitals, physician offices, health clubs and
retirement communities; and
* Coordinated efforts with federal, state and local
elected officials to conduct Town Hall meetings to fully explain the
benefits.
"We don't want to see any seniors leaving savings
on the table," said Ms. Grealy. "The next month is critical in giving
beneficiaries the information they need to take advantage of this
valuable program."
For a complete list of "Medicare Rx Get Enrolled
Week" activities, visit
http://www.medicaretoday.org/.
Medicare Today is a broad-based partnership of
organizations representing seniors, patients, health care groups,
employers, and others. The mission of this nonpartisan partnership is to
educate and inform Medicare beneficiaries and the public at large about
the new benefits provided through The Medicare Prescription Drug,
Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) and about how millions
of seniors will benefit from the new Medicare law.
Web site:
http://www.medicaretoday.org/
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