Emerson talks to seniors about drug benefit

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson met with area senior citizens Friday at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center to discuss a new federal prescription drug program that will take effect at the beginning of next year.

Under the MedicareRx Prescription Drug Coverage program, the federal government will pay 75 percent of annual prescription drug costs for all Medicare recipients up to $2,250 and 95 percent after costs reach $5,100. To qualify, recipients will have to pay an average of $37 monthly and an annual $250 deductible. The sign up for the plan begins Nov. 15; if recipients sign up before Dec. 31, coverage will begin at the start of the new year. The deadline to sign up for the program without penalty is May 15, 2006.

Emerson, who didn't vote for the bill before it was signed into law in December 2003, said she wanted to talk to seniors early because of the complexity of the program. She said the legislation has created a $2,850 "doughnut hole" in coverage because the beneficiary is expected to pay all costs between $2,250 and $5,100.

"I didn't vote for the bill expressly for the reasons that it's complicated, and I didn't think it reduced the cost of drugs enough," she said. "If we paid the same prices as they do in Canada or in Europe, then we wouldn't need this."

The statewide Medicare program, Missouri Rx, is being reworked to help fill in the pay gap, but Emerson said federal legislators should have done more to curb the power of pharmaceutical companies.

"If we would have been willing to bite the bullet a little bit and restrict the prices of prescription drugs or bring in a little more competition, we wouldn't have had to do it this way," she said.

However, Emerson said she does like that the program provides more for low-income seniors. Those with annual incomes below $14,355 for a single person or $19,245 per couple can qualify for extra benefits.

Mary Maupin, who spoke with Emerson on Friday, said she still doesn't understand the program and plans to speak with someone with APPLE Project, a local organization that helps seniors with paperwork.

"I don't really know how this will work, or what we're dealing with here," Maupin said.

wmcferron@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127