Citing confusion among seniors, Sen. Nelson wants to loosen restrictions on enrolling in the new Medicare drug benefit.
By WES ALLISON, Times Staff Writer
Published November 16, 2005
WASHINGTON - As Republicans cheered the start of the enrollment period for Medicare's new prescription drug benefit, Florida's senior senator was offering a different take: It's a confusing mess in need of congressional medicine.
Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, and several colleagues from the House and Senate on Tuesday talked up their proposal to give Medicare recipients more time to choose from among the dozens of new prescription drug plans now available to most seniors.
Tuesday was the first day that Medicare recipients could enroll in the drug benefit, called Part D, which will take effect in January. The enrollment deadline is May 15.
But some congressional offices and health care advocacy groups report widespread confusion, with many elderly Medicare recipients uncertain about how to choose a plan. Meanwhile, the government's two main avenues of providing help - calling 1-800-633-4227 or logging onto www.medicare.gov - are overwhelmed and unclear, too, they say.
Nelson said he met with seniors Monday in West Palm Beach to discuss the new plan, and "they are confused, they are bewildered, and they are frightened."
"They know that deadline is like an ax held over their head, and if they make the wrong choice, they can't change it for a year," Nelson said.
Under terms of Nelson's bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., seniors would have have until the end of 2006 to enroll in a plan. They also could change plans within the first year without paying a penalty. A matching bill has been filed in the House.
The current law says seniors who miss the May 15 deadline face an increase in premiums of 1 percent per month. They also can't switch plans during the year.
Advocates, including President Bush, say the new benefit, which comes with an estimated price tag of $795-billion over 10 years, provides seniors with plenty of choices and chances to save thousands of dollars a year on prescription drugs.
But the law forbids the government from using its bargaining power to negotiate lower drug prices. Also, instead of being administered through the government, it must be handled through HMOs and other private insurance companies.
The result, critics say, is a confusing tangle of plans, each with strengths and weaknesses that can vary by geographic region. Some seniors can choose from as few as 27 plans; others may choose from more than 50.
Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a nonpartisan health care consumers group, said many seniors are not equipped to navigate the choices. Only a quarter of them use the Internet, and a quarter have some cognitive impairments.
Nelson said he will try to attach his bill as an amendment to a larger spending bill expected to reach the Senate floor soon, but its prospects in Congress are murky.
As of late yesterday, Nelson's bill had no Republican co-sponsors. The House version had just one.
TELL US YOUR EXPERIENCE
The St. Petersburg Times needs your help to monitor how the Part D drug plan is working.
Are you taking the drug coverage or not? And why?
If you picked a drug plan, which one and why?
Was the toll-free hotline (1-800-633-4227) helpful?
Please contact us by letter or e-mail by Dec. 31 and briefly relate your Medicare experience in 100 words or fewer. You must include your name, city of residence and telephone number. Write to My Medicare Experience, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail at medicare@sptimes.com
