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Readers of the Roundup know that in recent weeks I have been sending reminders regarding the new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. The reason behind the string of reminders is that this benefit is working. Upon signing up, seniors are discovering that the benefit is providing significant savings. An April 10 article that ran in the Abilene Reporter News detailed how one senior in Wyoming saw her monthly prescription drug costs reduced from more than $100 a month to $15 a month.
This level of savings is common throughout the country. As of April 6, more than 27.6 million seniors had signed up for the benefit at a pace of 416,000 each week. For those millions that have enrolled, the Center for Medicare Services (CMS) estimates that the average senior will save $1,100 on prescription drugs this year.
Seniors who sign up by May 15, 2006 will be able receive the lowest premiums under the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. Seniors can sign up online, over the phone, by fax, or directly with health plans. Seniors or family members with questions about the Medicare prescription drug benefit can call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit http://www.medicare.gov.
In addition, there will be several events in the 19th District in the next few weeks that seniors can take advantage of in order to sign up. The West Central Texas Area Agency on Aging will be holding workshops in Sweetwater, Breckenridge, and Abilene through the end of April. Anyone interested in setting up an appointment with them should call 1-800-928-2262. Additionally, the CMS Medicare Bus will be helping seniors sign up on April 27 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the South Plains Association of Governments located at 1323 58th Street in Lubbock.
I want to encourage seniors, their families, and their caregivers to take a good, hard look at this new benefit before May 15. A little bit of patience and time taken now to see if any of the plans are a good fit could mean thousands of dollars in savings in the future.
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