Podcast Center
Video Center
Webcasts
Resource Center
Events
March 13, 2006 at 09:31 PM
America’s Health Insurance Plans says the new Medicare Part D prescription drug program is working well for most participating seniors.
AHIP, Washington, today held a briefing to release Part D program survey data collected by Ayres, McHenry and Associates Inc., Alexandria, Va.
The Part D program now covers 2 types of Medicare beneficiaries: Beneficiaries who signed up for Part D coverage on their own, and Medicare beneficiaries who also qualify for Medicaid. The government shifted the so-called “dual eligibles” into the Part D program automatically.
The Ayres, McHenry survey found that 95% of self-enrollees say they had no problems signing up for the program or had their problems resolved within the first 10 weeks, and that 85% of self-enrollees say they have experienced no problems with the program since they signed up. Another 2% of self-enrollees say they have had a problem that has been resolved.
About 90% of automatic enrollees polled say they have used the Part D program without facing any problems, and another 4% say they have had a problem that has been resolved.
Whit Ayres, president of Ayres, McHenry, compared media coverage of the Part D program to media coverage for air travel, which tends to focus on crashes.
“The difference is that most Americans understand that most planes land safely,” Ayres said. “[Part D] is a new benefit, and most Americans do not know that most seniors are not having any problems.”
