Seniors Must Decide on Medicare Drug Plan

Senior citizens looking for help in paying for prescription drugs face a decision soon. Even though there`s a new Medicare prescription drug benefit, some Arkansas lawmakers still say it`s no good and seniors will have to decide on their own whether or not it`s what they need. Eighty-eight year old Pearline Potts says she takes drugs for high blood pressure, arthritis, and several other conditions. "They re-evaluated me in December and my medicine was over $1400 and something," Potts said. Right now, she doesn`t have a prescription drug plan. Under the Medicare prescription drug plan, if Potts has $1400 in drug costs, she pays 25% of that, equalling $350. But Arkansas lawmakers who oppose the law say it still does nothing to lower the cost of drugs. The plan calls for a $35/month premium, and a $250 annual deductible. Medicare pays 75% of drug costs up to $2,250. Between $2,250 and $3,600, seniors pay out of pocket. "When you have $5100 worth of drug bills a year and Medicare`s only gonna cover $1080 of that, and not start covering it until 2006," Ross said, then the plan is not helping. AARP says many of the nation`s seniors have drug bills less thatn $2,250. While they support the bill, they say it could still use some work. "We want to change the prohibition on the federal government to negotiate lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries," said Billie Ann Myers, interim president, AARP Arkansas. That`s just #3 on a list of seven ways AARP says the bill could be better. And they`ve got time to try and change them, since it doesn`t go into effect for another two years. Another change they say they`d make, is to allow seniors to purchase medicines cheaper from Canada. Something lawmakers on both sides of the issue say they agree on. Phase one of the new law does take effect this spring. Beginning in May seniors can begin to sign up for the temporary discount card. AARP says it should save them 10-15% on drug costs. For more information or to calculate your expenses based on the new plan visit the following websites. http://sites.stockpoint.com/AARP/drugbenefit.asp www.familiesusa.org