KENNEDY, COLLEAGUES URGE PRESIDENT BUSH TO KEEP MEDICARE PART D TRANSITION POLICY IN PLACE April 1st deadline seeks to undermine seniors and their attempt to find a plan that works

Washington, D.C.—Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, joined by his Democratic colleagues, sent the following letter to the President Bush, urging him to reverse the decision to end the Medicare Part D transition policy that expires tomorrow, April 1, 2006. Senator Kennedy said, “America’s seniors and the disabled have had months of headaches since the prescription drug program was enacted and now the Administration wants to end the transition policy that was meant to simplify this mess. Seniors are facing mountains of paperwork and countless hours on the phone to navigate this system, and we ought to help them in any way possible to ensure they’re getting the prescription drug coverage they need and deserve.” Under the transition policy, plans were required to provide coverage during the transition period even if the drug was not on the plan’s formulary. The transition period was originally created to last for one month, but was extended to April 1st due to the chaotic start of the Administration’s prescription drug program.The transition period was intended to give Medicare beneficiaries time to find a drug plan that covered their needed prescription drugs, or to request an exception from non-coverage for a medically necessary drug. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has said that plans need to educate seniors about their options when the transition ends, including appeal rights, changing plans, or changing prescription drugs. But neither CMS nor the plans have done this, and many of the problems seniors and the disabled have had in getting the drugs they need when the plan began in January are likely to again occur since the underlying problems with the program have not been addressed. The text of the letter and its signatories are included below.