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A previous post showcased a forwarded “This Should Tick You Off” type email, where a compare and contrast of 5 million older Americans vs. 12 million illiegal aliens came to the conclusion that as a society we must really hate our old folks. The forwarded email makes the assumption that the 5 million or so Americans who have not yet signed up for Medicare Part D, must be confused and our government is mean because they will not be given any additional time to sign up for the plan.

Well, first of all, seniors in this country DO get the short end of the stick. As I sit here at the tender age of 30 and watch my 65+ year old parents deal with varied health issues, medical insurance and Medicare I hope and pray that Medicare is dead and gone by the time I hit 65. (I’m not a big fan of Social Security either). The reason I’m so jaded about these two government institutions isn’t because they were set up to be a supplement for income and medical insurance for retirement. In theory it’s a wonderful idea. Problem is, because these are government institutions, they make it so damn difficult to take part in!

Social Security and Medicare coverage are promoted as earned rights. My folks worked and busted butt for 40+ years for the right to have access to Medicare coverage. They did not, however, work for 40+ years only to be subject to the whims and discretion of medical insurers who don’t know a damn thing about health issues and the government who can’t make a simplified form if the continued existence of this great nation depended on it.

Therefore, to assume that 5 million older Americans haven’t signed up for Medicare Part D because they’re “old and confused” is insulting.  Many older Americans who are on Medicare also have supplementary insurance (also known as Medigap policies) which include prescription drug coverage. More often than not, the prescription drug coverage in these plans is as good as, or better, then Medicare Part D. Also, some Medigap policies make it quite clear: If you sign up for Medicare Part D, you will lose your Medigap coverage completely or you can no longer take advantage of the prescription drug coverage of the Medigap policy. 

So, many of these 5 million Americans could sign up for Part D, but then lose their supplamental coverage entirely, putting them at risk for higher out of pocket expenses on their medical bills. They might save a buck on the pills, but pay more at the hosital later. Are they “old and confused” by not signing up for Medicare Part D? No, they’re probably pretty damn smart!

As further evidence of just what a crock Medicare Part D is, and perhaps the 5 million seniors who haven’t signed up for it are doing themselves are favor, the following open letter to my state’s Senate delegation appeared in the February 8th, 2007 “Capital City Gazette”

This morning I spoke with my 86-year-old sister, who is considering dropping her Medicare Part D coverage because she has, for the first time, been prescribed a series of expensive medications, not one of which is covered by her plan.

I also spent over two hours on the phone verifying that the Part D plan which I chose and purchased last year no longer pays for the medication I take daily. I was told by the insurance company that it has been changed from generic to preferred by Medicare.

I was told by Medicare first that such a change would probably never be made and second that apparently it had been made. Of course, I had no way of knowing during the open enrollment period that I should be considering other plans. I only learned of the change when I had to pay for my medication.

If you had deliberately chosen to create a boondoggle of Medicare Part D, you couldn’t have done a better job. I’m sure the insurance and pharmaceutical companies appreciate your representation. I do not!  -V.C.S

Prescriptions not covered? Prescriptions covered and now dropped? What the hell was our government thinking when they came up with this plan?

Apparently, they weren’t. To borrow a phrase from that forwarded email…yes, our government must really dislike our old folks.