Groups: Medicare Drug Card Enrollment Low

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=534&e=2&u=/ap/20040528/ap_on_he_me/medicare_drug_cards

<< WASHINGTON - As Tuesday's starting date approaches for the Medicare drug discount program, the number of older Americans enrolling for the new benefit has been disappointing, according to some card sponsors.

While most of the more than 70 sponsors are silent about how many people they've signed up, AARP admits its number is minuscule. The group, which has 35 million 50-and-older members, mailed out 26,000 enrollment kits and has signed up only 400 people, spokeswoman Carol Shirley said.

At Walgreen Co., spokesman Michael Polzin said, "We prepared for a crush of seniors to come in beginning in May. That hasn't happened."

The Bush administration projected that 7.3 million Medicare recipients would sign up for the cards, which can be used beginning June 1. That number includes 4.7 million with incomes low enough to receive $600 from the federal government this year and again in 2005 to pay pharmacy bills. >>


Gee, no one wants these crappy useless cards. :eyes:

Another big waste of money for nothing!

with once they leave what is familiar. :shrug:

Older people do not like nor jump on change much and this has so many holes and oddities about it, that, I believe, they are afraid of being scammed.

Just my two cents worth.

a mile away. These cards are useless for far too many old people. Why pay more for nothing? Get your scripts filled at Costco. To hell with this crap!

That is what many are doing. Obviously this must be the case if only 400 have signed up! hahaaaaaaa!!!!!!

Another * failure is what we see here and how much did that cost to mail out all of that TRASH?

maybe they'll send a message to the WH that they know that card is a useless waste of taxpayer money! The seniors get screwed and the drug companys get the benefits! Bushco tried to fix what wasn't broke!!! What a mess Busco has made of medicare!
:eyes:

coverage cuz I'm disabled...Card?...Card! We don't need no stinking card!

Looks like squatter has lost the Medicare vote - big surprise?!? not.

I'm in the same boat as you. It is cheaper for me to get the RX's filled at Costco (check them out).

You add up the cost of the cards, the deductibles, etc. you may very well find out that the card is absolutely useless.

I LOVE that fact that Walgreens was lined up and ready to go and no one showed up. Makes me wanna :cry: my eyes out.

Best laugh I've had ALL DAY! HAHAAAAA!!!!!

provide a real discount, it will be short lived as the nice people at the legal drug pusher outlets will jack up the price to offset the profit loss. It is always thus.

180

One prescription I take went from $18 to $32 in one month. They can keep their damned cards. I will play it by ear. This doesn't help seniors--it will bankrupt them.

you're kinda hip to the usual scams. As soon as we were told that we had to be careful which card to choose, so that it covered the drugs we needed, but that there was no way to be certain that it would still cover the same drug the next time you tried to use it....:wtf:

The HMOs got their CASH windfall in advance so they could "develop" plans for seniors...

The DRUG COMPANIES got their windfall to "help them keep the prices low" (HA!!)...

The SCAMMERS who jumped in to PRINT UP and OFFER the cards ..got their CASH windfall up front..


The oldsters who knew a dumb thing when they saw it, said "No Thanks...We'll wait for a REAL prescription plan"..


More Millions shoved down the rat hole, and into the open mouths of the rats..

doctor's office had a 1 page article on the drug cards. They basically said that no one really understands what the situation will really be.

IMO - if a mag that specializes in a disease that many senior citizens have doesn't know what's going on, the situation is BAAAAAD

to the treasury??

I think Junior and his lying henchmen should be sued to regain all the CASH they stole from the treasury for this lamebrained scheme..

Just another way to funnel public money into private coffers..

PUT OUR MONEY BACK...now...

You said that you'd send it out about a month ago.

It ain't worth squat unless she gets the $600 credit. And she can't use that unless it doesn't conflict with your worthless AARP medigap drug insurance.

Mother pays more than $8000 a year for medication. That is about 80% of her income. Big help, you slime ball drug companies, insurance companies and republican pukes! :grr:

if I need a medication, I will travel the five hours to the
Canada border to buy it in order to get a discount.

I am totally bereft of any confidence at all in my government and in even the health care that we are subjected to today and expected to have confidence in because the ads tells us to ask our doctor.

I am suspicious of all and everything that the medical profession tells me, because it seems to me that they only are out to make more and more money for their doctor owned hospital.

I would rather live a couple of years less, than be subjected to constant doctor visits and tests ad nauseum, where I have to call for an appointment on the day I want it and when I do call at 8am in the morning, I am told there are NO appointments available on that day--sorry call back on another day and you have to call on the day you want the appointment. There are NO appointments made ahead of time.

who needs that? Not me.

I refuse to be locked in to this abuse. I feel exploited.

I have embraced Epicurism as my religion and my philosophical approach to my life in my old age. :-)

If that runs out for some reason, I am certain I would have no doubts about taking complete control, going down to the rugged rocky coast that is a few minutes walk down the road and jumping into the frigid Atlantic waters in the middle of a February snowstorm.

I believe that's called a vox populi kind of thing.

WASHINGTON - As Tuesday’s starting date approaches for the Medicare drug discount program, the number of older Americans enrolling for the new benefit has been disappointing, according to some card sponsors.

While most of the more than 70 sponsors are silent about how many people they’ve signed up, AARP admits its number is minuscule. The group, which has 35 million 50-and-older members, mailed out 26,000 enrollment kits and has signed up only 400 people, spokeswoman Carol Shirley said.

At Walgreen Co., spokesman Michael Polzin said, “We prepared for a crush of seniors to come in beginning in May. That hasn’t happened.”

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5087364/