With 30 days remaining before costly premium penalties kick in, state health officials said the number of seniors signed up for Medicare prescription drug coverage isn?t high enough.
Baltimore County leads the state with prescription drug enrollment just under 63 percent, with 80,000 seniors signed up for the new Medicare program or other coverage. That means health employees there have 30 days to talk to 47,000 more seniors about their drug coverage options, according to the most recent estimates.
“There are still an awful lot of people that we?ve got out there that need to sign up in the next month,” said Pat Venable, the county?s Senior Health Insurance Program coordinator.
“We need to do everything we can to encourage people that this is important.”
Seniors have until May 15 to sign up for the Medicare Part D program, or they may be required to pay higher premiums. Premiums are expected to increase 1 percent every month after May, and enrollment will not open again until Nov. 15.
That has health department employees across the state scrambling.
In Baltimore City, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-7th District, unveiled a billboard campaign Thursday to count down the last registration days. He said 47,000 city residents eligible for Medicare ? seniors older than 65 or residents with disabilities ? have not signed up yet.
The statewide SHIP program places a coordinator and about 130 trained volunteers in 19 jurisdictions to help seniors with their options. Baltimore County volunteers have been visiting senior centers and high-rise apartments since November. They have a traveling “Medicare van” and are kicking off daily training sessions Monday.
In Harford County, SHIP coordinator Janet Wright said 69 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are signed up, but she isn?t aiming to talk to everyone who is eligible.
“Not everyone chooses to be in a plan,” Wright said. “It?s a voluntary decision.”
Seniors with coverage
» Baltimore County: 79,429
» Baltimore City: 53,967
» Harford County: 20,861
» Howard County: 15,951
» Anne Arundel County: 42,367
» Carroll County: 13,594
? Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, March 18.
