Government
Medicare drug enrollment rises
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Feb. 19, 2007
More than 1.4 million Medicare beneficiaries have enrolled in the program's drug benefit since June 2006, bringing the number of Part D enrollees to about 24 million, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced late last month.
With the latest increase, federal officials now say that more than 39 million beneficiaries are receiving comprehensive prescription drug coverage. In addition to the Part D enrollees, roughly 7 million seniors get their drugs from a former employer that receives a federal subsidy, 3 million are members of a federal retiree drug program and another 5 million have other coverage that CMS says is just as good as Medicare's.
About 10% of beneficiaries who were enrolled in Part D in 2006 changed plans for the new year in an open enrollment period that ended Dec. 31. People who turn 65 during the year or who are eligible for extra government help based on their incomes can sign up without penalty in 2007.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/02/19/gvbf0219.htm.
