Medicare takes to road to educate seniors

KAYSVILLE — The seniors who gathered for lunch Tuesday at the Autumn Glow Senior Center seemed more interested in the "ranch beef stew" than the huge bus parked outside and the visitors ready to talk to them about their prescription drug coverage.

With less than a month to go before open enrollment for Medicare Part D begins again, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has taken to the open road to educate local seniors about the government program that helps seniors pay for their medication. The "My Health. My Medicare." tour made three stops in Utah Tuesday, including the lunchtime Kaysville visit.

"We just want to make sure you get the help you need and deserve and are entitled to," Mike Fierberg, CMS public affairs specialist, told about two dozen largely uninterested seniors gathered in Autumn Glow's cafeteria.

When asked, only one woman had no prescription drug coverage at all and the others were happy with what they had, whether it was through private insurance or Medicare. Just three seniors took advantage of the opportunity to watch an in-depth presentation about Medicare benefits.

This time last year, seniors were much more interested in the new program, said Autumn Glow's director, Linda Freer. In the months leading to the May 15 deadline to sign up for coverage, Freer often had five to six appointments a day for one-on-one counseling with seniors.

"I think, originally, there was a lot of frustration on their part," she said.

Now, most of the seniors Freer assisted are happy with their coverage, but seem concerned by the renewed push to raise awareness about the upcoming enrollment period.

"I think it's frightening them a little bit, because we've gotten a lot of calls saying, 'Are things going to change?'" Freer said.

Eighty-nine percent of eligible Utah seniors signed up for Medicare Part D during last year's enrollment period. Those who did not enroll, or those who want to change from their current plan, can do so beginning Nov. 15. Benefits will begin Jan. 1, 2007.

Available plans, which are offered by private health benefits companies that have contracted with the government, have changed slightly from last year's offerings. Monthly premiums have both increased and decreased, and formularies (the specific drugs covered under the plan) are different in some cases, Fierberg said.