Hundreds attend Hatch's 18th Conference for Seniors

They came with canes, walkers, on the arms of friends and walked in on their own to continue their education — hundreds of seniors looking for information.

At the 18th annual Conference for Seniors, hosted by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the information was aplenty — from recording personal histories to growing a garden in small spaces with less work.

The all-day event Friday also featured critical new information for Utah's seniors, particularly details that focused on a host of complicated changes coming down the pike in the federal Medicare program.

Utah seniors and people with disabilities were urged to research the possible advantages contained in the most comprehensive overhaul in the Medicare since it was created 40 years ago.

While many may have already have taken advantage of a new discount prescription drug card offered as a result of the revamping, that card is due to expire at the end of this year in anticipation of the long-term changes due to take effect in 2006.

"These changes are about modernizing the program so it includes prevention," said Leslie Norwalk, deputy administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Norwalk was a presenter at the conference in Salt Lake City as part of a national push by the federal government to inform Medicare beneficiaries about the importance of learning about the changes to the program.

Specifically, she told a crowd of seniors about the "Part D" plan, which is available to all Medicare recipients but is optional.

Open enrollment begins Nov. 15 and lasts through May 15, with late enrollment fees assessed each month after that for the duration the recipient stays on the plan.

Norwalk said Part D is most beneficial to low-income seniors, those who lack retirement plans with prescription drug benefits and nursing home residents — in which case all drug costs are covered.

The government, she said, is also pushing hard for employers to continue to offer good coverage for prescription drugs, especially in the wake of corporations that are bent on reducing benefits in favor of profits.

While 66 percent of large employers offered a drug benefit to retirees in 1988, that number has dropped to 37 percent, she said.

As an incentive to stop the downward spiral, Norwalk said, the government has set aside $80 billion to write checks to corporations that offer prescription drug coverage that is as good as Part D or better.

Those companies that do will receive a check that covers 28 percent of their drug costs per individual employee.

They can also choose to pick up out-of-pocket costs under the new plan, such as monthly premiums — expected to be $37 a month — or offer to pick up co-pays on medication.