Enrollment deadline nears for Medicare prescription drug coverage

WILLMAR -- The deadline is approaching for seniors to sign up for Medicare prescription drug coverage.

After May 15, they will still be able to enroll -- but penalties will begin to accrue for late enrollment.

Taryn Sietsema, senior outreach specialist with the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, is bracing for a flurry of activity over the next couple of weeks.

"We're feeling the push now," she said. "I am concerned that people are going to wait, and we're going to have huge wait times. The earlier they call, the better."

Coverage began Jan. 1 under Medicare's new Part D prescription drug program, which helps pay for brand-name and generic drugs at participating pharmacies.

The program is designed to help cushion seniors against the high cost of prescription medication.

So far, about 67 percent of Medicare beneficiaries in Minnesota have either enrolled in Part D or have comparable prescription drug coverage through other programs such as retiree or veterans' health care benefits.

That still leaves several thousand people who have until May 15 to decide on a course of action.

For many, it hasn't been easy, Sietsema said.

Not only do seniors have multiple prescription drug plans to choose from, but many of them also are being bombarded with mail promotions.

"I still think people are having a hard time figuring out which plan is right for them," Sietsema said. "It's difficult for people. There are so many different plans."

The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging is stepping up its efforts to let seniors know there's help available. The state's toll-free Senior Linkage Line -- 1-800-333-2433 -- can connect seniors with free individual assistance.

On May 9, representatives of the Area Agency on Aging will be at the Willmar Area Senior Citizens Center from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to meet with seniors in person, provide information and help answer questions.

Sietsema and other staff and volunteers have made frequent appearances at senior sites to offer help and information.

They've also referred a number of people to Rice Memorial Hospital's Health Insurance Counseling Program, which offers free one-to-one assistance. Trained health insurance counselors are available at the hospital on Tuesday and Thursday; appointments can be made by calling (320) 231-4069.

"We're not biased," Sietsema said. "I think that eases people's minds. We're not telling them what plan to choose, we just help them sort it out."

Although Medicare has a Web site and online tools to help seniors compare and choose a prescription drug plan, local counselors are finding that many of their clients either don't have access to a computer or aren't comfortable using a computer, Sietsema said.

Mistakes can be costly. She knows of at least two cases in which seniors selected a prescription drug plan, then discovered that the plan doesn't cover all the medications they take.

"They're going to have to pay $200 out of pocket every month," she said.

She's also concerned that many seniors may not know that they'll have to pay a late enrollment fee if they sign up after May 15. The penalty is 1 percent of the national Part D premium average for each month that enrollment is delayed.

The next open enrollment period for Medicare Part D doesn't begin until Nov. 15; it will end Dec. 31.

On average, monthly premiums for the coverage cost around $34. Deductibles and copayments can vary, depending on the plan. Seniors with limited incomes also may be eligible for extra assistance in paying for their premiums and deductibles.