Elderly poor may be wary of applying for drug subsidy

[Judi Lynn]

Elderly poor may be wary of applying for drug subsidy
05/25/2005



WASHINGTON (AP) - The government will begin sending out millions of applications this week to poor Medicare beneficiaries who may qualify for extra help next year paying for prescription drugs.

But the neediest and most vulnerable senior citizens may be scared away by the six-page application that requires details of their finances and warns that anyone who gives false information could go to prison, advocacy groups say.

"Realistically, if we hit 50 percent enrollment we'll be slapping ourselves on the back," said Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, an organization that helps older adults and people with disabilities access health care.

Under the prescription drug benefit that begins Jan. 1, low-income Medicare beneficiaries get an additional subsidy to help them pay for their deductible, monthly premiums and other expenses. Officials estimate the low-income subsidy will average $2,300 per recipient.
(snip/...)

http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14583027&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468558&rfi=6

[ogradda]

1. Affordable health care or possible imprisonment?

Hey, health care in prison is free, right?:sarcasm:

[0007]

2. More hoops for the old to jump through.

Is this another form of euthanasia?

[saigon68]

3. USED UP THROWN AWAY

Maybe a few of them will get jobs as greeters now, don't cha know Seniors love to work in no benefit dead end jobs such as walmart to pay for their "heart pills"

[pearl]

4. I'm in this group

Disabled, "poor" and on Medicare
A total lack of trust that this will help at all.

And waking up in severe pain every night and simply
unable to afford effective pain meds.

I'm too angry to sign any of their forms.
Fuck them all.
Thanks for noticing and caring folks.

[PNsC]

5. Hi

I'm really sorry to hear that you have so much pain but you shouldn't let that stand in your way of getting the help you are entitled to. It seems sort of self defeating to refuse a benefit that could help you.

[Mountainman]

6. Is this the kind of thing that says if you own a home or car you have too

many assets?

I think you have to be homeless and on the streets to qualify.

I would never turn my financial information over to the government.

What ever happened to the less government intrusion into your life idea?

[pearl]

7. I feel it's a trick

To sign up for restrictions on other aspects of
medicare coverage. They sell it as a package which
cuts back on other benefits.