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By Rep. Virginia Foxx

We all know about the major deadline enforced by the IRS that takes place on April 15th. But do you know there is another important deadline for seniors on May 15th?

For the next month and a half, seniors on Medicare can still sign up for the new Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. Seniors can enroll after the deadline, but they may be subject to a late fee if they wait until after May 15th.

While I was not a Member of Congress when the Medicare prescription drug benefit was enacted into law, I understand that it is giving seniors more choices, saving them money and offering them more benefits. Medicare, a program that was created 40 years ago, has always provided for doctor’s office visits and hospital stays. Now, for the first time, Medicare will help pay for prescription drugs and help seniors avoid illness and costly trips to the hospital through screenings and early detection.

Medicare Part D covers both brand name and generic drugs at participating pharmacies. Millions of seniors who were without access to prescriptions are now getting them and many are saving thousands of dollars a year. In fact, a typical senior that signs up for the coverage could see his or her total prescription drug expenses drop by nearly 50 percent. The benefit has already lowered average monthly premiums from $37 to $25 because of competition among plan providers. And those seniors with limited incomes and resources will incur nearly no expenses at all.

Since sign-up for the Medicare prescription drug benefit began on November 15, 2005, approximately 27 million seniors eligible for Medicare have enrolled. At present, 380,000 beneficiaries are enrolling in the program each week, and one million prescriptions are being filled in pharmacies around the nation.

This new prescription drug benefit is completely voluntary. Seniors without prescription drug coverage or those looking for a better plan could benefit from learning more about this new plan. Medicare Part D could be a big help to low-income seniors, those with high drug costs and those without prescription drug coverage. Even if some seniors do not take many prescription drugs, they should still think about enrolling. As we get older, the odds that we will need prescriptions increases significantly. This new benefit gives the peace of mind that prescriptions are available if we ever need them.

Before seniors decide whether to enroll, they need to determine if they already have prescription drug coverage. Then they need to compare the plans and see if a current insurance plan covers as much as the Medicare plans. It is also important to find out if Medicare covers all of the prescription drugs needed.

Once folks are ready to sign up for a plan, they need to get out their Medicare cards and make a list of their current medications and dosages. They also need to write down the phone numbers and addresses of the pharmacies they use. Then they simply need to call 1-800-Medicare to get personalized help with choosing a plan. This hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Folks who use the Internet or have family members and friends who can help them go online can also visitwww.medicare.gov. This web site allows people to compare prescription drug plans and determine which plans cover the drugs they need. They can even sign up for a plan online or at 1-800-Medicare.

Other important sources of information include Social Security offices, senior centers, doctors’ offices and pharmacies. In April, I will be hosting Medicare workshops in Statesville and Winston-Salem. Seniors are encouraged to call my Clemmons office at 1-866-677-8968 if they would like to attend one of these meetings. The important things to remember are that seniors are not alone and do not need to be experts on Medicare Part D to enroll. There are many places to go for personalized assistance.

Seniors deserve access to the prescriptions and health care they need. My responsibility is to help my constituents by working to improve existing programs. But it is also very important for seniors to be aware of the many new benefits that are already out there. The deadline to sign up for Medicare Part D is May 15th. If this program could help you or your loved ones, don’t miss this opportunity.

Editor’s Note: Virginia Foxx is a United States Representative from North Carolina’s Fifth Congressional District. You may contact her office toll free at 1-866-677-8968 or e-mail her from her website, www.foxx.house.gov.

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