Medicare beneficiaries are understandably concerned and confused about the new prescription-drug benefit as they face numerous private-plan options, a looming deadline and stiff late penalties. Across the country, up to 40 million Medicare beneficiaries will have to make difficult and costly decisions. Not only will sorting through these plans be confusing and tedious but Hurricane Katrina victims who lack a permanent address will find enrollment virtually impossible.

Further complicating matters, the "Medicare and You" handbook the government mailed to millions of people erroneously claimed that low-income beneficiaries can enroll in any prescription-drug plan available in their area without paying premiums. Of course, this claim is inaccurate. Only about 40 percent of the plans will offer no premium to low-income beneficiaries.

Despite the complexity and misinformation about the program and the devastation from the recent hurricanes, beneficiaries still face a rigid May 15, 2006, deadline. Those who enroll after this date will face a substantial financial penalty. Currently, many senior citizens are not even aware that this penalty exists. And those who do, such as Arlene Alpert from Boynton Beach, Fla., feel that the penalty is a form of coercion to get her to enroll in a program without a full explanation of her options. She feels this deadline puts her in a real bind to make a decision she's not yet ready to make.

In response, we and several of our Senate colleagues have introduced the Medicare Informed Choice Act of 2005 (S. 1841). This bill will provide added protections for beneficiaries during the first year of the new program. By delaying late-enrollment penalties and giving every beneficiary a chance to change plans once during the first year, we can ensure that our constituents are not forced to make hasty or regretful decisions. Specifically:. The bill expands the existing six-month open-enrollment period to the entire year of 2006.. The bill gives every Medicare beneficiary the opportunity to make a one-time change in plan enrollment at any point during 2006.The Medicare Informed Choice Act is a small, time-limited step that will help ease the pressure of the first year of this new drug program. But it is a critical step toward helping Medicare beneficiaries. We urge Congress and the administration to join us in enacting this legislation.

Nelson is a member of the Special Aging Committee and Murray is a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Both sit on the Budget Committee.