Medicare Part D Is Helping Seniors

Michael Hiltzik’s diatribe about the Medicare drug benefit (“Medicare Drug Plan Looks Like a Big Scam,” Golden State, Jan. 19) is a cynical attempt to scare seniors away from a program that helps them.

After just three weeks, the program is filling 40,000 prescription drug claims an hour. Nearly 4 million people have voluntarily signed up for coverage. Real people are saving real money.

Hiltzik tries to divert seniors’ attention away from these savings by comparing apples with oranges when talking about outdated cost estimates for the overall program -- estimates that will be continually updated as the program moves forward.

The bottom line is that competition is working -- seniors are saving money on prescriptions.

Though the Medicare drug benefit faced some early implementation challenges, those issues are being resolved.

Rep. Bill Thomas

Republican, Bakersfield

Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee

Washington

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I am a trained and state-certified counselor for Medicare and have been seeing many, many people in the Culver City area. This is the most outrageous, confusing plan that could have ever been devised. No one can select a plan without first going to a computer, and this is the age group without computer savvy or access.

How do we get our legislators to simplify this program? I have contacted our members of Congress and encourage my clients to do the same. What else can the public do?

Linda Fleischman

Palms

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Michael Hiltzik’s column calling the Medicare drug benefit a scam denigrates a life-saving, health-enhancing program.

I know something about this. In my practice, I treat many seniors with chronic conditions requiring medication, often expensive medication. Some of my patients have tapped their savings to cover the cost of medication. Others have gone without, with serious implications.

This is why I so fully embrace the new prescription drug program. My patients can now afford the medications I prescribe. They can afford to comply. My patients are going to live fuller and longer lives because of the Medicare prescription drug plan. How is that a tragedy?

Dr. Larry S. Fields

President

American Academy of Family Physicians

Ashland, Ky.

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I wish Mr. Hiltzik could speak with a few of the people I meet every day. Contrary to his belief, seniors are working with friends, relatives, volunteers and Medicare to compare prescription plans and are seeing significant savings. I have personally assisted beneficiaries in signing up for plans that offered hundreds of dollars in savings a month.

Dozens of organizations and thousands of volunteers across Southern California are working to help Medicare recipients and their families, including Medicare Today, (866) 723-0416, www.medicaretoday.org, and Los Angeles Access to Benefits, (800) 824-0780, www.accesstobenefits.org.

Samantha Rothenberger

Field Organizer

Medicare Today

Encino