SOCIAL SECURITY
News Release
More Than Three Million People Apply for Medicare Prescription Drug Help
Jo Anne Barnhart, Commissioner of Social Security, announced today
that more than three million people have applied for the extra help
available with Medicare prescription drug costs. The extra help
will pay most of the costs of monthly premiums, annual deductibles
and prescription co-payments - an average of $2,100 in extra help
per year.
“I am extremely pleased with the results so far,” Commissioner
Barnhart said. “But our work is far from over. We are continuing
our outreach activities in cities all across the U.S. and we continue
to work closely with federal, state and local agencies and groups
to let all those who may be eligible know about the help that is
available.”
In May of this year, Social Security began mailing nearly 19 million
applications to potentially eligible Medicare beneficiaries. Applications
were mailed over a 12 week period that began in late May and continued
through mid August 2005. In July, a new Internet application located
at www.socialsecurity.gov was unveiled allowing people to apply online for help with Medicare
prescription drug plan costs. More than 1,000 people a day are now
applying over the Internet.
“Our online application for Medicare prescription drug help
just received one of the highest scores ever given to a public or
private sector organization by the American Customer Satisfaction
Index (ACSI),” noted Commissioner Barnhart. The ACSI tracks
trends in customer satisfaction and provides valuable benchmarking
insights for companies and government agencies. “The positive
responses to both our online application and to the mail-out applications
are the result of our commitment to making the application simple
and easy to understand.”
Social Security is now in the process of making follow-up contacts
with those who have not yet responded to the initial mailing. Social
Security’s on-the-ground outreach efforts with community based
organizations, advocacy groups and State entities are also continuing.
To date, more than 40,000 Medicare outreach events have been held.
“Our goal is to ensure that all those who are eligible for
help with Medicare prescription drug costs have the opportunity
to apply,” Commissioner Barnhart said. “I encourage
all those on Medicare, their families and interested community groups
to educate themselves about the Medicare prescription drug program
and the help that is available. Together, we can make sure no one
has to make the difficult choice of spending their limited income
on prescription drugs or other basic needs.”
NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS: A fact
sheet about the help available to pay the costs of Medicare’s
new prescription drug plan is attached. More detailed information
about the new Medicare prescription drug coverage is available at www.Medicare.gov.
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SSA Press Office 440 Altmeyer
Building 6401 Security Blvd. Baltimore, MD 21235
410-965-8904 FAX 410-966-9973 |
www.socialsecurity.gov
