MEDICARE: Low-income seniors largely ignore $600 credit for drugs

Written by William Sluis from staff and wire reports
Chicago Tribune
Published March 27, 2005


The government's offer of $600 in prescription drugs to low-income seniors covered by Medicare is about to expire, but roughly 75 percent of those eligible have ignored it.

Administrators of the federal discount-drug-card program said the drug companies involved in providing the prescriptions are stepping up advertising on its behalf before it expires Thursday.

Fewer than 1.8 million Medicare recipients have signed up for the cards out of nearly 7 million eligible low-income seniors. The $600 annual credit for drugs began July 1.

"The biggest thing is that seniors just aren't aware of it," said a program administrator.

The lukewarm response comes as the Medicare program undergoes its biggest expansion in four decades.

Critics said the plan is confusing, because it may conflict with Medicaid and other programs to help low-income people receive health care. There are numerous discount-drug-card programs available from retailers, employers, the states and others involved in providing prescriptions.

One critic said seniors face "an overwhelming number of choices."

To qualify, recipients can't be covered under other government programs and must have incomes of less than $12,920 for an individual or $17,321 for a couple.

Watch for: A last-minute rush to take advantage of the $600 benefit, but for a majority of those eligible to miss the boat.