December io, 2003____________________________________ ®Jje JJortlanh (Observer___________________ Page A3 W h a t th e n ew p r e s c r ip tio n d ru g b e n e fit w ill d o f o r y o u . N o s o u n d b ite s. N o s p in . N o p o litic s . J u s t th e facts. C ongress has ju s t voted to add a p rescrip tio n d ru g benefit to M edicare. W hile the benefit isn’t perfect, it’s an im p o rta n t step forward that we can b u ild o n in the fu tu re. H ere are som e im p o rtan t ways that o ld er A m ericans an d th eir families will be helped by this benefit: 1. I t p r o t e c t s t r a d i t i o n a l M e d ic a r e : $ 3 ,6 0 0 o u t- o f - p o c k e t lim it, th e N o th in g in th e le g isla tio n u n d e r fe d e ra l g o v e rn m e n t w ill pay fo r 95% m in e s tr a d itio n a l f e e -fo r-s e rv ic e o f p r e s c r ip tio n d ru g costs. M ed ic are. A n d an y o n e can stay in it if th ey c h o o se. 6 . It p r o t e c t s r e t ir e e c o v e r a g e : T h e le g isla tio n p ro v id es fin a n c ia l 2. A ll M e d ic a r e b e n e f i c i a r i e s w ill in c e n tiv e s fo r em p lo y ers (b o th h a v e a c c e s s to d r u g c o v e r a g e : p u b lic a n d p riv ate ) so th a t p e o p le T h is is a g u a ra n te e d d ru g p la n who already have good private coverage fo r all b e n e fic ia rie s , reg ard le ss will n o t lose it. o f w here th ey live. 7- I t p r o v id e s n e w p r e v e n tiv e 3- T h i s n e w d r u g b e n e f i t is s e r v ic e s : v o lu n ta r y : T h e le g isla tio n p ro v id e s fo r P eo p le can elect to keep any new c o o r d in a te d c h r o n ic d isease ex istin g coverage th ey have, an d m a n a g e m e n t, p rev en tiv e s c re e n in g n o o n e w ill be fo rc e d to e n r o ll fo r h ea rt disease and an in tro d u c to ry in th e new p ro g ra m . physical exam . 4- I t h e lp s t h o s e w h o n e e d i t m o s t: 8 . D i s c o u n t card : T h e new b e n e fit p ro v id e s fo r B eneficiaries can choose a M edicare c o m p re h e n siv e d ru g coverage fo r d isc o u n t card that will provide som e p e o p le w ith low in c o m e s, at im m ediate help with d ru g costs. m in im a l cost to th e m . In a d d itio n , m an y low -in co m e b eneficiaries will receive a $ 6 0 0 5- I t p r o t e c t s t h o s e w ith th e h ig h e s t subsidy o n th e ir card. d r u g c o s ts : A fte r a b e n e fic ia ry reach es th e A n d we p ro m is e to k eep fig h tin g to m ake y o u r p re s c rip tio n d ru g s m o re a ffo rd a b le . A4RP The power to make It better/ www.aarp.org 4