Medicare Drug Program Fails to Reach Low-Income Seniors
Families USA
When the Medicare (Part D) drug legislation was enacted, President Bush and congressional leaders boasted that it would be a great help for low-income seniors.
A report released today shows that this promise is unfulfilled and more than three out of four low-income seniors have not enrolled in the program.
"Contrary to promises by the President and congressional leaders, low-income seniors are not receiving help to make their medicines affordable," said Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA. "These are the very people who need help the most, yet the Administration's promises to them are much more rhetorical than real."
The extra help promised to low-income seniors includes special subsidies to cover their Part D premiums, out-of-pocket costs (such as deductibles and co-payments), and the elimination of coverage gaps, such as the so-called "doughnut hole."
In addition to the seniors eligible for these low-income subsidies and not receiving them, there is another group of even poorer seniors who are actually worse off today than they were prior to January 2006, according to the Families USA report.
Once Part D began, dual eligibles lost their Medicaid drug coverage and were automatically enrolled in a private Medicare drug plan.
"There are millions of seniors who need drug coverage and are not receiving it," Pollack said.
Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers.
