WASHINGTON - According to a new survey released in April by AARP, nearly eight in 10, or 78 percent, of those enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug plan say they are satisfied.
The AARP study was released one month before Medicare's drug benefit enrollment deadline of May 15. According to beneficiary June Dirks, if you haven't yet enrolled, "it's time to get moving!"
With her new drug plan, Dirks is saving about $200 every three months, according to an AARP press release, and she is not alone. Only 20 percent of respondents felt like they were not saving money with their plans.
AARP Director of Health Strategy Cheryl Matheis explained, "Before Medicare added a drug benefit, more than half of those in the program either lacked drug coverage or had inadequate coverage that did not protect them from high out-of-pocket costs. The new plans fill a critical need for affordable prescription drugs."
As of March 2006, over 27 million people were enrolled in a new Medicare drug plan, according to AARP. Of those surveyed who had prescription drug coverage before 2006, 63 percent reported their new Medicare drug plan is either better or as good as their previous coverage. Only 17 percent felt their new coverage was worse than what they had in 2005 and in prior years.
Now that people are using their new drug plans, AARP is hearing stories of savings every day. "We were hearing stories from people who had to make difficult choices to afford their prescription drugs. Now the choice has become, 'Which of the many drug plans is best for me?'" noted Matheis.
Of those surveyed, 40 percent thought they would need to give up something if Medicare had not added the new prescription drug benefit. Respondents often listed groceries, cutting back on medication, looking for less expensive housing, and cutting back on savings as sacrifices they would most commonly have to make.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people over the age of 50 to have independence, choice, and control.
For more information, visit their website at www.aarp.org.
