KENNEDY: AMERICA’S SENIORS CONFUSED BY MEDICARE DRUG BENEFITS

The President should try speaking with seniors in communities across America rather than a handpicked group – to get a real idea of the myriad of problems they’re facing in light of the massive overhaul of the prescription drug program. I’ve heard from countless seniors in Massachusetts that the system is simply not working. One woman told me that she called Medicare three times with questions about enrollment and received three different answers. Seniors who already have drug coverage through HMOs and retiree plans are being told to sign up for the new prescription drug plans, only to find out that by doing so, they lose their existing coverage. The plans are confusing, seniors are given information that contradicts itself and volunteers who are supposed to help navigate the maze of plans and options are overworked to the point of exhaustion. Americans deserve a prescription drug plan that gives them more than a headache. ###