CMS FAILS TO ADDRESS COMPLEXITY
OF MEDICARE PART D, PUTTING MOST VULNERABLE BENEFICIARIES AT GREATER RISK

The Center for Medicare Advocacy is disappointed that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) did not address the complexity of the Medicare Part D program in its final regulations, issued today.  This complexity was a key concern of consumers regarding the Medicare prescription drug plan.

“By continuing to allow Part D plans great flexibility to design their own benefit structure,” said Judith Stein, executive director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, “CMS has increased the difficulties that Medicare beneficiaries will have in determining the best course for them to take.”

According to Ms. Stein, the Center for Medicare Advocacy has had extensive experience with the Medicare drug card program as it affects Medicare beneficiaries. “As we have seen with the discount drug cards, when comparisons among cards become too difficult, Medicare beneficiaries do not participate in the program, even if they would benefit by doing so,” said Ms. Stein. “We fear that the most vulnerable beneficiaries - those with multiple chronic conditions, those with diminished capacity, those with limited English proficiency - will be unable to navigate the system CMS has devised, and therefore will not take advantage of the prescription drug coverage they require.”

CMS did address concerns in several other areas, according to Ms Stein.  “CMS did review the comments to the proposed Part D regulations and issued final regulations in a timely manner.  We are pleased that CMS will be making significant efforts to assist low-income people enroll in Part D.  We are also pleased that the regulations will allow states to merge their Medicaid programs and state pharmaceutical programs with the new Medicare benefit, however, these steps may not meet their promise if the overall complexity of the program prevents those populations from taking full advantage of those improvements.”

© Copyright, Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc. 05/02/2008