Arizona seniors and people with disabilities are learning the hard way about a feature in the new Medicare drug plan that can cause them to pay, at times unexpectedly, three to four times more for their drugs.
MEDICARE DRUG PLAN THE PLANS Any Medicare beneficiary can buy a Medicare Part D drug insurance policy — a stand-alone plan or similar plans included in broader health coverage offered by Medicare Advantage plans. Many beneficiaries can get similar coverage through former employers, including the military or government. Low-income people may qualify for subsidized plans that offer nearly free
The euphoria over Medicare’s Part D drug plan is slowly dying as the senior citizens are coming to realize that the plan has holes that could cost them a big bundle on medicines. The hole, called ‘doughnut hole’, requires them to spend about US$3,600 from their own pockets once their Medicare tab reached US$2,250.
SOUTH BEND — U.S. Rep. Chris Chocola is well aware of the “doughnut hole” and why it exists, because he was one of the members of Congress who voted for Medicare Part D legislation when it passed in late 2003.
The so-called “doughnut hole” built into the Medicare Part D prescription drug legislation passed in late 2003 may soon become a yawning chasm for many seniors.
