Straight Talk With Sam - Prescription Drugs

Volume 4, Issue 31, August 2, 2004

STRAIGHT TALK WITH SAM

Prescription Drugs

America loves choices. We get to choose what we want for dinner. We get to choose what we want to buy, where we want to live. We even get to choose our leaders. But for too long, too many seniors have been denied the choice of affordable prescription drugs.

Congress and President Bush decided to give seniors choices they never had before. Under the new prescription drug plans, seniors can choose to sign up for the new prescription drug benefit. Medicare will stay the same, but a new and optional prescription drug benefit has been added.

If seniors like the plan they have through their former or current employer, he or she can remain in that plan. If seniors without prescription drug coverage would like to get it through Medicare, they now can.

For a small annual deductible and monthly premiums, seniors can have 75 percent of their drug costs paid for up to $2,200. To cover catastrophic health care costs, Medicare will cover 95 percent of drug costs over 3,600 out-of-pocket expenses.

In addition, low-income seniors will have no gaps in coverage and have $2 co-pays for generic drugs and $5 co-pays for brand name drugs. The new law is good for seniors. Having choices is always good for seniors, especially new choices that will save them money on the cost of their prescription drugs.