Consumer Protections Sorely Lacking For Older And Disabled Americans Enrolled In Medicare Private Drug Plans, Consumer Group Testifies

Older and disabled Americans enrolled in Medicare private drug plans lack consumer protections needed to guarantee access to prescription drugs at affordable prices, the Medicare Rights Center testified today at a hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health.

Problems continue to plague the Medicare drug benefit program eighteen months after it took effect, testified the Medicare Rights Center, a national consumer service group. Enrollees in the Medicare drug benefit, available only through private drug plans, are still having difficulty securing - and maintaining - enrollment in an appropriate Medicare private drug plan, accessing affordable medicines through the low-income subsidy known as "Extra Help," and getting needed medicine through Medicare private drug plans.

Connecting Tags; Medicare, economics, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy