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[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

New program to help seniors weigh Medicare prescription options

Jul. 28, 2005

NOTE: A photograph is available at http://umns.umc.org.

A UMNS Report
By Linda Bloom*

If senior citizens want to benefit from the new Medicare program on
prescription drugs, they will have to carefully consider their options.

To assist with that process, the United Methodist Association of Health
and Welfare Ministries is introducing a program called "Serving
America's Seniors" in cooperation with the Coalition to Advance
Prescription Drug Education (CARxE). The program is open to
congregations and social service organizations of all faith traditions.

In 2006, prescription drug benefits, known as Part D, will be added to
Medicare. A variety of choices for prescription drug plans will become
public Oct. 15 and the enrollment period will be Nov. 15 to May 15,
2006.

The plans will place prescription drugs into a type of insurance
program, according to the Rev. Mearle Griffith, project director for
"Serving America's Seniors" and chief executive of the United Methodist
Association, based near Dayton, Ohio.

"Many people will not need this simply because they have adequate health
insurance," he pointed out, adding that seniors who will benefit the
most are those without adequate health coverage or income.

A national launch for "Serving America's Seniors" is planned Aug. 18 in
Houston. It will include presentations on the educational programs and
an explanation of the enrollment "gateway" for seniors and their
volunteer advocates.

"Part of the education process deals with the variety of options that
they will have," Griffith explained. "They're all different, depending
on the seniors' economic situation and the prescription drug regimen
that they take."

The only way to compare the options, he said, "is through computer
technology and the Internet." Because seniors often do not have access
to such technology, the "Serving America's Seniors" Program is looking
for volunteers who want to do ministry with seniors and also have
computer skills.

"From a pure ministry standpoint, we want to make sure they (seniors)
have all the information they need to understand their options,"
Griffith added.

While the United Methodist Association will be working with seniors
through its network of nearly 400 health and welfare ministries,
Griffith is encouraging local congregations to create their own
volunteer base for the program to assist seniors in their churches and
communities.

By early August, the CARxE Web site, www.carxe.org, will host a training
program for volunteers, who simply need to register to have access to an
education module and instructions on how to assist seniors with Plan D
enrollment.

Using DestinationRx Part-D Professional Gateway software, provided by
CARxE, volunteers and health care and social service professionals will
be able to help seniors determine eligibility issues, evaluate treatment
methods and compare plans and prices.

More information is available at www.carxe.org or by calling the
national help center toll free at (866) 394-7700.

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org

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