Mystifying Medicare Plan Nears
The New York Times
October 11, 2005
As Deadline Nears, Sorting Out the Medicare Drug Plan
By ROBERT PEAR
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 - In the next few weeks, millions of Medicare beneficiaries will make decisions that could affect their out-of-pocket medical costs for years to come.
They have to decide whether to sign up for a prescription drug plan, sorting through dozens of options with radically different costs and benefits.
Information issued by the government, while generally accurate, tends to give an upbeat assessment of the new benefit, emphasizing the advantages. But the new program is so complex that the government, by its own account, has made two significant errors in explaining it to the public.
Federal health officials incorrectly described the standard minimum drug benefit in an advertisement that appeared on Sept. 25 in Parade magazine, the Sunday newspaper supplement with a circulation of more than 37 million. In addition, the official Medicare handbook, sent to all beneficiaries, significantly overstates the number of prescription drug plans that will be available without any premiums for low-income people.
The Bush administration has notified Congress of the errors and says they will be corrected in future brochures and on the Medicare Web site.
Drug plans began marketing activities, including unsolicited telephone calls to beneficiaries, on Oct. 1. People can sign up on Nov. 15. Coverage begins Jan. 1. And May 15 is the last day to sign up in 2006.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
October 11, 2005
As Deadline Nears, Sorting Out the Medicare Drug Plan
By ROBERT PEAR
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 - In the next few weeks, millions of Medicare beneficiaries will make decisions that could affect their out-of-pocket medical costs for years to come.
They have to decide whether to sign up for a prescription drug plan, sorting through dozens of options with radically different costs and benefits.
Information issued by the government, while generally accurate, tends to give an upbeat assessment of the new benefit, emphasizing the advantages. But the new program is so complex that the government, by its own account, has made two significant errors in explaining it to the public.
Federal health officials incorrectly described the standard minimum drug benefit in an advertisement that appeared on Sept. 25 in Parade magazine, the Sunday newspaper supplement with a circulation of more than 37 million. In addition, the official Medicare handbook, sent to all beneficiaries, significantly overstates the number of prescription drug plans that will be available without any premiums for low-income people.
The Bush administration has notified Congress of the errors and says they will be corrected in future brochures and on the Medicare Web site.
Drug plans began marketing activities, including unsolicited telephone calls to beneficiaries, on Oct. 1. People can sign up on Nov. 15. Coverage begins Jan. 1. And May 15 is the last day to sign up in 2006.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
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