« January 2006

Government to Seniors: "Don't Leave The Pharmacy Without Your Drugs"
January 20, 2006

My 84 year old aunt was hopping mad. She had been having her prescriptions filled at the same drugstore since 1940. They only charge $.50 for delivery and since she doesn't drive much anymore, that is a big benefit. Because of her low income, she had a state plan that paid all but a dollar of the cost of a prescription.

That was until the new Medicare prescription plan. After wading through mountains of paperwork, my aunt finally chose a plan. When she tried to fill some prescriptions at her local pharmacy she couldn't. When she called the insurance company, the man there told her the closest place she could fill her prescriptions was a large chain store and the cost would be $3.00 to $5.00 per prescription. She told the young man at the other end of the phone that she would die first before changing drug stores. She told me that at her income level, the extra cost (and driving) would have a big impact on her budget. She was not a happy camper.

Other stories of disaffection with the new plan abound.

Because of glitches, computers say some seniors are not covered when they should be. Some low income seniors who qualify for subsidies are over charged. Read a story about that here.

The government response:

Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt recommendation to seniors: "Don't leave the pharmacy without your drugs."

Huh? I can just imagine how that strategy would work.

These problems need to be corrected - and fast - if Republicans want to salvage some senior votes and keep a hold of Congress in 2006.

Source:- http://www.bloggernews.net/2006/01/government-to-seniors-dont-leave.html