Calling the Medicare Part D drug plan “a prescription for disaster,” Maryland Democratic leaders asked the federal government to extend the fast-approaching Monday enrollment deadline for the state?s seniors.
“People are confused,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-7th. “If this program is really intended to help our seniors, then we need to extend the deadline,” Cummings said to the elderly city residents gathered at the Sandtown-Winchester senior center in East Baltimore. Cummings, joined by Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-2nd, and a candidate for Senate, Rep. Benjamin Cardin, said extending the deadline was necessary to reach senior citizens who live alone.
“It?s not just the people here today that I?m worried about,” Cummings said. “It?s the seniors that are isolated or live alone that we need to reach.”
Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Baltimore City health director, said the Health Department estimates that 20,000 of the city?s 100,000 seniors who are eligible have yet to enroll. Sharfstein said even those seniors who are enrolled have experienced problems and are calling the city?s hotline to complain.
“An AIDS patient had their medication dropped by the program,” Sharfstein said. “A 78-year-old patient had to continue to undergo successive blood tests because his medication wasn?t initially covered.
Reginald Hope, a senior citizen who has enrolled in the program, was critical of the deadline. “What?s the rush?” Hope asked. “We seniors aren?t stupid. We know this is about the drug companies.”
Seniors who fail to sign up by Monday?s deadline will be ineligible to enroll until November, and their coverage will not begin until Jan. 1, 2007. Late enrollees will be assessed a 7 percent penalty on top of their monthly premium.
Rep. Cardin, D-3rd, has introduced a bill that will alter the Medicare Part D program, allowing the federal government to negotiate for lower drug prices and eliminate federal subsidies for insurance companies offering coverage under the plan. Currently, Medicare Part D does not allow the government to negotiate with the drug companies. Cardin, though, said there is only one long-term solution.
“We need a national health care plan,” he said. “It?s the only way to ensure that people get good care.”
