ENGEL WARNS OF MEDICARE MISINFORMATION; July 12, 2006

Wednesday July 12, 2006

ENGEL WARNS OF MEDICARE MISINFORMATION
Urges constituents to check if their information is accurate

Washington, D.C.- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY) is warning his constituents that the  telephone hotlines run by private  prescription drug plans are giving incomplete and inaccurate information about the new Medicare Prescription Drug Plan according to a Government Accounting Office (GAO) report that studied responses from the hotlines.

"The Republican Prescription Drug plan was complicated enough already.  Now, we learn that these call centers provide inaccurate and incomplete information most of the time.  The only thing worse than a bad prescription drug plan is a bad plan plus bad information,” said Congressman Engel.
 
The GAO found that in two-thirds of the cases, drug plan providers were unable to give accurate or complete information in response to simple questions about plan costs and what prescription drugs are covered.   A previous GAO study had found that customer service representatives at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) had also provided faulty information.

“My constituents have already had to go through a confusing and cumbersome sign up process, and now we are faced with inaccurate and conflicting information from the prescription drug plan providers,” said Engel.

Congressman Engel’s website has phone numbers to double check the accuracy of the prescription drug information, and his three district offices that can provide further assistance.

Agencies that can provide more detailed help:

Area Agencies on Aging:
http://hiicap.state.ny.us/
 
Medicare Rights Center (MRC), a New York based assistance center:
http://www.medicarerights.org/

Medicare Rights Center NY State Hotline. Through the NY State Hotline (800-333-4114), MRC provides counseling to individuals who need answers to Medicare-related questions or help getting care. Hotline counselors are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM.

Medicare Rights Center HMO Hotline. MRC operates a national Medicare HMO Appeals hotline (888-HMO-9050) to assist Medicare HMO members who are appealing HMO denials of care or coverage.
Congressman Engel Website: http://engel.house.gov

Congressman Engel Bronx Office: 718 796 9700

Congressman Engel Rockland Office: 845 735 1000

Congressman Engel Westchester: 914 699 4100

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