Seniors struggle with plans as Medicare deadlines loom
Palo Alto Daily News, December 29th, 2006
On a daily basis, four or five seniors walk into the Palo Alto Walgreens with questions about Medicare Part D.
"Most
don't understand it all," pharmacist Shazia Sana said of the federal
health insurance program's prescription drug coverage.
Seniors
over the age of 65 have until Dec. 31 to enroll or change their plans,
but studies show that the complexity of the system is discouraging
seniors from making switches that could save them money.
Most
local health care groups say the number of seniors looking at their
plans is down this year, compared to last year when the prescription
drug benefit began.
"I think they're really confused. They're
going to wait to the last minute," said Zena Vigileos, coordinator of
the Fair Oaks Intergenerational Center in Redwood City.
Plans
can annually change the price of drugs, the co-payment for a doctor's
visit, or even limit the amount of available drugs, said Conor Lee,
spokesman for Senior Educators, a San Francisco-based business that
helps Bay Area seniors sign up for Medicare plans.
Read more of this article. Learn more about Medicare.