Medicare Enrollment for Drug Coverage
Set to Get Murkier in '07

As enrollment begins for next year's Medicare drug coverage, the government is telling an estimated 1 million low-income seniors that they will be randomly assigned - again - to a new plan next year because their current plan was canceled or raised its price.

But the same enrollees also are receiving letters from their current plans telling them they can stay. These letters don't mention they will have to pay for the privilege, even though they qualify for a waiver of the premium and other fees.

If low-income drug plan members disregard the wrong letter, they could end up paying a bill they didn't expect. In Ohio , 66,500 people will receive the two letters, according to Medicare spokesman Robert Herskovitz, who said he was not authorized to disclose how many will be affected nationwide.

"I didn't know they could just sign you up without you knowing," said Juliette Dickerson, 73, who attended a meeting Thursday about the drug coverage at the Abington Arms seniors building in Cleveland .

Seniors who are confused about what to do can call 1-800-MEDICARE or contact their state health insurance information program, said Medicare spokeswoman Patty Helphenstine.

Medicare caps the amount of the monthly premium it will waive. For eligible recipients, it will cover premiums up to $2 more than the average Ohio rate.

In Ohio , nine of 14 plans in which Medicare enrolled low-income members for 2006 dropped out of the free premium program.

The confusing directions come as advocates fear that the switch to new plans will again cause problems. Last year, the federal government randomly assigned 6 million people, who had received their medicine through the Medicaid program for low-income families.

Pharmacists often couldn't confirm coverage with the government's computers. Many seniors wound up in plans that didn't cover their drugs, were enrolled in two plans or were overcharged. State Medicaid programs came to the rescue by paying for prescriptions, and Medicare later reimbursed them millions of dollars.