Dems Introduce Legislation That Would Allow Medicare Beneficiaries Additional Six Months To Enroll in Drug Benefit Without Penalty
Via KFF and the Congressional Quarterly:
Reps. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) have introduceda bill (HR 3861) that would extend from May 15, 2006, until Dec. 31,2006, the deadline for beneficiaries to enroll in the Medicareprescription drug benefit without financial penalties, CQ HealthBeatreports. In addition, the bill would allow beneficiaries to make aone-time change in their enrollment plan during 2006 and would prohibitbeneficiaries’ former employers from dropping retiree health benefitsduring the first year of the drug benefit. In a news release, Stark andSchakowsky said beneficiaries need more time to consider their optionsunder the drug benefit. Stark said the bill would “providebeneficiaries extra protections during the first year of this complexnew program so that they won’t feel pressured into making a badchoice.” Schakowsky said, “Senior citizens and people with disabilitieswill soon be inundated by marketers and have to sort through 40 to 50plans without the support of independent counselors. That’s why we needthis bill”