Medicare form may be too scary

WASHINGTON – The government will begin sending out millions of applications this week to poor Medicare beneficiaries who may qualify for extra help next year paying for prescription drugs.

But the neediest and most vulnerable senior citizens may be scared away by the six-page application that requires details of their finances and warns that anyone who gives false information could go to prison, advocacy groups say.

“Realistically, if we hit 50 percent enrollment, we’ll be slapping ourselves on the back,” said Robert Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, which helps older adults and people with disabilities improve access to health care.

Under the prescription drug benefit that begins Jan. 1, low-income Medicare beneficiaries get an additional subsidy to help them pay for their deductible, monthly premiums and other expenses. Officials estimate the low-income subsidy will average $2,300 per recipient.

Mark McClellan, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, acknowledged that enrolling people will be difficult, but he believes the government will have more success than during some previous efforts.

“Make no mistake, this is a very challenging population to reach,” he said. “But that’s why we’re starting so early and using the simplest means testing application ever.”

The additional help is for those whose incomes are at 150 percent of the poverty level and below – about $1,200 a month for an individual or $1,600 a month for a couple.

Officials estimate about 15 million people are eligible for the subsidy, and about half will be automatically enrolled because of their participation in other government programs.

But that leaves about 7 million to 7.5 million people who will have to apply for the benefit.