Presc Drugs - What the Senate Plan SHOULD Include

SENATE: SUPPORT A PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT
THAT IS SECURE, VALUABLE, AND AVAILABLE TO ALL
MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES

The Center for Medicare Advocacy Inc. supports a uniform, secure Medicare prescription drug benefit that is available to all beneficiaries. While we strongly prefer a single benefit kept within the traditional Medicare program, if private options are to be offered, premiums, co-payment responsibilities, and covered drugs should be set and should be identical in the traditional program and private Medicare plans.

People with Medicare need to be able to know with certainty what is available and to easily compare options and make choices. Because the Medicare managed care experience demonstrates that plan benefits, premiums, and availability will change over time, beneficiaries must be able to move fluidly between the traditional program and private plans and between different plans.

Any Medicare prescription drug bill worthy of support should meet these principles, as further described below:

A prescription drug benefit should always be available as a choice within the traditional program, not only as a "fall-back" if no private plans are available. (Support Senator Stabenow's amendment.)
Premiums and cost-sharing rates should be set in legislation and should be the same in the traditional program and any private plans.
Those individuals who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid should be covered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, like all other Medicare beneficiaries. (Support the Rockefeller amendment.)
Beneficiaries should not be "locked-in" to the plans they choose for more than 30 days. If there is to be a longer lock-in period it should be phased in after the plan has been in effect and beneficiaries gain experience in making choices.
Preferred Provider Plans (PPOs) and any other private models should not be subsidized for offering a Medicare plan. To do so violates the free market notion of a level playing field, puts the traditional program at a disadvantage, and adds money to Medicare's cost. If these funds are to be expended they should be spent on improving the benefit for all people with Medicare.
Medigap supplemental insurance policies should continue to be available as they are now to cover beneficiary cost-sharing responsibilities.
All Medicare benefits should be administered by one government agency. It will be costly and confusing to have a new agency set up to administer the prescription drug benefit and private plans.

The Center for Medicare Advocacy urges the President and Congress to ensure that the Medicare prescription drug bill they support meets these concerns. Before voting yes, be certain these critical issues are met!