Congresswoman will discuss rebates tomorrow at two senior living centers
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is reminding Southern Arizona senior citizens who fall into the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” that they will start receiving $250 checks this week.
“Prescription drugs are a major source of financial concern for many older Arizonans,” said Giffords. “These payments to help close the gap in Medicare Part D coverage are among the early tangible benefits of health insurance reform legislation.”
Giffords will discuss the rebate checks tomorrow at back-to-back meetings with the residents of two senior living centers in Tucson.
At 11:30 a.m., the congresswoman will visit The Forum at Tucson, 2500 N. Rosemont Blvd., and at 1 p.m. she will be at the Cascades of Tucson, 201 N. Jessica Ave.
While at the senior living facilities, Giffords also will discuss legislation she recently introduced that will support seniors and create jobs by encouraging employers to hire older workers and making retraining more affordable.
The $250 rebate checks are a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which President Obama signed into law on March 23. Under the legislation, which Giffords supported, Medicare beneficiaries who hit the Part D gap this year automatically will be mailed a one-time $250 rebate check.
The checks will be mailed to Medicare recipients who already have hit the donut hole – the term used for a gap in prescription drug coverage under Medicare Part D. In most cases, the plan covers 75 percent of drug costs, up to $2,830. Once seniors hit that limit, they must pay all of their own costs until total spending reaches $6,440 in a year.
The checks will be mailed monthly throughout the year as additional beneficiaries hit the hole. Medicare recipients don’t have to do anything to get the check. Once their drug costs for the year hit $2,830, checks will be issued automatically. Last year, 72,800 Medicare beneficiaries in Arizona hit the donut hole.
Next year, seniors in the donut hole will get a 50 percent discount on name-brand prescription drugs and a 75 percent discount on generics. The average Arizona senior will save $700 next year on prescription drugs because of health insurance reform.
The new law continues to provide additional prescription drug discounts for seniors on Medicare in the years ahead and completely closes the donut hole by 2020.
But Giffords warned that scam artists already are gearing up to try to take advantage of seniors who receive the checks. She said it is important to know that:
- The checks are tax-free;
- The checks are sent directly to the Medicare beneficiary;
- There are no forms to fill out; and
- No personal information should be given to any caller, anyone who writes to you or anyone who comes to your door.
Seniors in some areas have been told they need a “new Medicare card” to receive the check. No new card or new registration is needed and no changes to health care benefits, including Part D plans, is required to receive the check.
Giffords stressed that seniors should treat their Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security numbers as credit card numbers and should never give these out to a stranger who contacts them by phone, mail or in person.
Suspicious attempts to obtain information can be reported to Giffords’ offices in Tucson, at 520-881-3588, or Sierra Vista, at 520-459-3115. They can also be reported to 1-800-MEDICARE.
Additional information is online at www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.