Medicare Part D – Poll Shows Seniors are Happy with their Medicare Prescription Plan.

While Americans are still arguing over the Affordable Care Act, there is one aspect of our healthcare system that has been huge success- Prescription drug plan for seniors- Medicare Part D. In a new nationwide survey of seniors (65 and over), 86 percent said that they are satisfied with their Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. In an era where it is rare for a policy – or a politician for that matter – to be viewed favorably by anywhere near 50 percent of the public, this Medicare Part D figure it astounding. And when you dig deeper into the results of the survey, it becomes even clearer how important it is to keep Medicare Part D intact. Eighty-six percent of seniors say their Part D co-pays are affordable, with 85 percent saying the same of their monthly premiums. Sixty-seven percent of seniors say without Part D they would be unable to fill all of the prescriptions their doctors prescribe. And 68 percent say they are better off today than they were before they had Part D coverage and 71 percent have greater peace of mind because of their drug coverage. These figures are a testament to the fact that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services made the right decision to drop their proposed changes to the program after fierce opposition from healthcare stakeholders. Medicare Today chairperson Mary R. Grealy said the new survey underscores the importance of prudence in making changes to Medicare Part D that could undermine the program’s success. Grealy said, “The Part D program has transformed the lives of millions of seniors. It’s widely seen as affordable, easy to use and a good value. Policymakers should act with care before altering the structure that has made Medicare Part D one of the federal government’s most successful programs, one that advances the health of beneficiaries and is an ally to the pocketbooks of both seniors and taxpayers.” Just like an entitlement program, Medicare Part D isn’t out of the woods despite record levels of approval. Seventy-five percent of seniors are concerned about the government reducing the number of Part D plan choices available to them. We need to make sure that seniors never have to face limited plan choice or the possibility of Medicare Part D being defunded. It’s imperative that we celebrate – and protect – healthcare successes when they come. They’re too few and far between not to. Contact Allen Heffler at 215-658-1776