Don't be afraid of a discount

Too often, the role of politics is to confuse. During an election year, take anything good your opponent may have done and try to make it look either fuzzy or downright bad.

And so, many senior citizens in America have decided to avoid even looking into the new Medicare drug discount cards, all because Democrats have made such a big deal out of the total cost of Medicare reform.

It's true that the cost of providing a prescription discount to seniors cost much more than the Bush administration originally said it would, and it's true that some evidence exists to indicate the White House may have known better all along. But none of that means anything at all for elderly people who are eligible for discounts.

Discounts are out there, waiting to be taken.

The nonpartisan Healthcare Leadership Council estimates Utah's senior citizens could save more than $1,000 over the 18-month period the discounts will be available. Generally speaking, the lower a person's income level and insurance coverage, the more he or she can save. But participants need to sign up for the cards before the end of the year in order to take advantage of the full amount available to them.

Politics isn't the only reason seniors are staying away. The process can seem confusing. To get a card, a senior has to choose from among many eligible vendors. Local officials have said Utahns could generally choose any available vendor and still receive discounts on the drugs they need, but the choices can seem daunting. Add to that the many discount cards provided by pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies — all of which also might apply toward a drug purchase — and a simple prescription purchase can seem like such a dizzying parade of cards it may require a prescription of its own to understand.

Americans never have done health care the easy way. But then, the easy way — universal care provided by the government — generally is much more expensive in the long run for society at-large. Still, senior citizens — the people who often are least able to pay yet require the most medicine — don't get much help in this country.

To be sure, politics is likely to step in and change things again soon. These discount cards have an 18-month life span, and no one can be certain what will come next. But why not take advantage of a way to save money while it is available?

Utah's congressional delegation is holding meetings around the state this month to urge seniors to get a card. In the meantime, call 1-800-633-4227 or visit www.medicare.gov to get more information.