In December 2003, Congress passed legislation adding a prescription drug benefit to the Medicare program. I am a strong supporter of efforts to ensure quality, patient-centered health care for all Americans, but I am concerned by the difficult transition to the new Medicare prescription drug benefit program, which began on January 1, 2006.

Unfortunately, the first four weeks of the new Medicare drug coverage have been a very confusing time for many seniors. At drug stores nationwide, Medicare beneficiaries are being told that they’re not enrolled, or their drugs aren’t covered, or they must pay deductibles and larger co-payments than they can afford.

There’s no doubt that this is an incredibly complicated and confusing program. There are, however, several simple, bipartisan steps that Congress can take to improve the drug benefit and make the transition to the new benefit easier.

As you may know, the prescription drug legislation, which I voted against, included a provision that explicitly prohibits Medicare from negotiating for lower drug prices, the way that the Veterans Administration (VA) has done for veterans since 1992. In addition, when Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson announced his resignation in December 2004, he expressed his regret that the Medicare law barred him from negotiating, saying: “I would like to have had the opportunity to negotiate.”

Congress should pass the MEDS Act, bipartisan legislation I introduced with Rep. Jo Ann Emerson from Missouri, to give the Secretary of HHS the authority to negotiate a group discount for lower pharmaceutical prices on behalf of 43 million Medicare beneficiaries. My legislation is a simple reform to reduce prices for seniors who depend upon medication for their good health.

Another commonsense step is delaying the enrollment deadline, currently set for May 15, 2006. Under the current federal regulations, anyone who is eligible now that does not sign up for 2006 coverage by the May 15th deadline will pay 1% more for each month they delay. I am a cosponsor of legislation to extend the open enrollment until December 31, 2006, which would allow seniors to take the time they need to understand their options while also preventing another logjam that could easily overwhelm the enrollment system, much like the one we are experiencing now.

I share the concerns and frustrations of my constituents regarding the transition to the new Medicare prescription drug benefit program. Now that the prescription drug bill is the law, however, I am fully committed to educating seniors about the benefit. In fact, I recently signed on as an original cosponsor of legislation to provide $100 million in additional funding for State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP), which provide beneficiaries with unbiased information and assistance with their Medicare benefits and coverage options. Last year, these programs were funded at $31.7 million. With over 43 million Medicare beneficiaries trying to navigate the new drug benefit, that is nowhere near enough funding to meet demand. We must ensure that we are adequately supporting our local agencies and those who are responsible for helping our seniors through the enrollment process.

It is imperative that all members of Congress work together to make this transition seamless and ensure the timely enrollment of those eligible for subsidies. When it comes to the health of our senior citizens, there is no room for partisanship.

Dennis Moore, Member of Congress
Third District, Kansas
Lenexa, Kansas