The new Medicare prescription drug cards are rolling out so fast that the volunteers haven't been trained yet. New Hampshire Public Radio's Raquel Maria Dillon talked with some of the people who will be helping seniors get the most for their money with the new discount cards.
COTE :12 I'm Gene Cote. Medicare helper, Volunteer. We help the elderly and the disabled understand their Medicare. Any questions they have at all. If we don't have the answers we know where to get 'em.
At a recent "Wellness Fair" for seniors at Franklin Hospital, Gene Cote was swamped with questions about the new Medicare prescription drug discount cards.
COTE :12 I've read everything I can find, it's typical government bureaucracy. Very confusing, lot of angles. I wish the training was sooner, 'cause people are starting to ask questions.
Cote freely admits - he doesn't have any answers yet. He's scheduled to be trained in a couple of weeks. In theory, seniors can start saving 10 to 25 percent on drugs when the program goes into effect on June 1st. But many already use private drug discount plans.
COTE :18 so far the main question is what do I do with my current plan. Can I drop it cause I'm paying for it. Depends. Biggest warning I can give anyone is don't drop anything until you know what you're getting.
The quick launch of the program and the subsequent confusion is putting a lot of pressure on volunteers and professional Medicare educators.
LIZOTTE :07 It's intense. It's a lot of questions, I'm not sure we've worked out all the bugs but I honestly believe they're doing best they can.
Christine Lizotte is in charge of Health Insurance Counseling, Education and Assistance Services with the Community Services Council of New Hampshire. The federal government also contracts with local organizations to educate the elderly about Medicare options. She's in charge of training about 125 Medicaid volunteers across the state - within the next two weeks. She joined her counterparts from other states for training in California last week.
LIZOTTE :18 the actual law is 1000s of pages, understanding law is 100s of pages, we refine down to a small booklet of 30 pages, and I think it's really imp that people take time to either read it or take time go to presentation if they're auditory learner.
Lizotte will have one important tool at her disposal: a program on the Medicare website that matches people with discount cards.
LIZOTTE :15 first we have to determine which one is most appropriate, sells most Rx for greatest discount in geographical area. We enter their medications and see what pops up and help to make informed decision.
But even the best information will have its limits. Seniors must choose a card by the end of the year, and they can only change once. The problem, Lizotte says, is that while seniors have only one opportunity to switch, the companies who operate the cards can change their terms anytime.
LIZOTTE :13 a challenge is that every Monday they can change % of what's covered and which meds are covered. so what you received this week may not be same as next week.
She's also concerned about low-income seniors who already get discount medications directly from manufacturers. Under the new law they'll be given a $600 allowance to spend on drugs. But if they want free drugs, they'll have to spend down that $600 and reapply to the manufacturers. Bernie Cameron runs Medication Bridge, a program that helps seniors apply to receive free prescription drugs from pharmaceutical companies. She's worried that Washington might have underestimated the task at hand.
CAMERON :14 we're depending a lot of volunteers for this system. This legislation has been passed but it's on back of volunteers to explain it and make it work.
Cameron says it takes about 30-to-45 minutes to sit down with an individual and go over their choices. Volunteer Gene Cote is undaunted.
COTE :11 the older people get the harder it is, the harder it is to understand change. And believe me, Medicare is in the midst of a big change. They need someone to help them, explain it to them. That's why we need our training.
He says once he's trained, he'll be ready for the important work ahead. For NHPR News, I'm RMD.
