Benefits baffle seniors

Despite efforts from state and regional Medicare officers to educate senior citizens on Medicare's new prescription drug benefits, many seniors are not seeing dollar signs — they're seeing question marks.

"I think it's confusing and I'm nervous to sign up," said Larry Purt, 68. Purt is on Medicare and came to a recent meeting to learn more about the Medicare Part D Benefit, which would give seniors prescription drug coverage. "There are lots of plans and I just don't know."

Purt was one of hundreds of seniors in the standing-room-only crowd who came to the informational meeting on Medicare at Mount Olympus Senior Center in Holladay. It was advertised that Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, would host the meeting, but he spoke for a few minutes and left seniors with a 30-slide power point presentation given by the Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services.

It was during the question-and-answer-section that the group got heated over Matheson's departure.

"I think I can speak for most of us when I say we wanted to listen to Jim Matheson. He voted it (Medicare Modernization Act of 2003) in, where is he?" one man yelled across the room, to a roar of applause.

Under the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, government-sponsored insurance benefits will change drastically for roughly a quarter of a million Utahns. Since its formation 40 years ago, Medicare has provided coverage to those over age 65 for doctor visits, hospital stays and surgery. But in 2006, Medicare will offer prescription drug coverage.

"The purpose of this meeting is to help you learn about this new program," Matheson said in his brief introduction at the meeting. "Now at first blush, this new prescription drug program appears to be rather complicated. But take your time and I think you're going to have a presentation that will tell you how to walk through it."

Most importantly, Matheson said he hoped seniors would know who to contact and where they can get more information after the meeting. Representatives from Matheson's office, Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services, Utah Medicare Coalition, Social Security Administration and other regional Medicare officials were available to answer questions. Fliers were passed out from Utah's Health Insurance Information Program, which offers free Medicare counseling, and a sign-up sheet was available for seniors who wanted further Medicare consulting by a county representative.

"I didn't learn anything from it," said Patsy Kuronya, a senior citizen from Salt Lake City. "If something was down on paper, maybe. But it's hard for me to understand stuff (so quickly). It's hard for many people."