CMS Will Attempt to Enroll More Low Income Part D Beneficiaries
The Bush administration begins a new effortMonday to track down and sign up millions of low-income people onMedicare who are not receiving prescription-drug coverage.
The Social Security Administration will start bysending out 500,000 applications to a select group of seniors age 79and up. The applications will also target seniors in low-incomeneighborhoods, people with disabilities, Hispanics and those who do nothandle their own financial affairs.
It’s the latest in a series of attempts by thegovernment and private groups to lure those seniors who stand tobenefit the most from Medicare’s prescription-drug program — but whoare most likely to have missed out on the coverage.
Medicare officials say 38.7 million ofMedicare’s 42.5 million beneficiaries have drug coverage. According toMedicare’s estimates, most of those without coverage — about 3 millionof the roughly 4 million still not part of the drug plan —have lowincomes and would qualify for extra financial assistance.
Outside groups agree that there are still manylow-income seniors who could qualify for financial help if they joinedthe prescription-drug program.