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County Assistance Offered For Medicare Part D
By Bill McLaughlin
Seniors facing a deadline for the Medicare Part D sign up at the end of the year can now get help from the Ocean County Senior Services Office.
Freeholder Joseph Vicari said the changes in the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) plan, which helps recipients pay for prescription drugs, have been outlined in letters to the seniors.
However, there has been some confusion involved.
"People are complacent," said Jane Maloney, director of the county Senior Services office. "Many plans have increased their coverage and premiums and some seniors haven't realized it. We have 18,000 on pharmaceutical assistance and some have gotten advertisements telling them there will be additional charges."
Maloney said PAAD members should do nothing; don't pay part of the costs the plans propose to charge consumers.
"PAAD is an all or nothing program," Maloney said. "If you qualify, PAAD coordinates benefits and pays Part D premiums. All those in PAAD have the same benefits, no matter which Part D plan they have."
Vicari shook his head as he spoke of the confusion facing seniors.
"There are now 57 plans - options - that are provided by carriers," Vicari said.
We have 160,000 seniors - 200,000 if you include caregivers - involved. The problem is getting out information without panicking people."
Since choices can only be made once a year with a December 31 deadline some, seniors are left throwing their hands up in despair.
Maloney said as PAAD moves clients to more reasonably-priced Part D plans, they will continue to receive the same prescription drug benefits as before.
"As the federal government reviews Medicare Part D costs, we must move a significant number of enrollees to different Part D plans," she said, explaining some plans don't meet the $31.23 per month benchmark premium.
Beneficiaries will be enrolled automatically in the new plan unless they decline coverage in writing.
Contact the Office of Senior Services at 732-929-2091 or 1-800-668-4899 for more information.
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