Fitzpatrick Urges President Bush to Extend Medicare Deadline/Wave Penalty for Low Income Seniors
Fitzpatrick Urges President Bush to Extend Medicare Deadline/Wave Penalty for Low Income Seniors
As the deadline for seniors to sign-up for the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit passes, Congressman Michael G. Fitzpatrick has written to President Bush, urging him to extend the enrollment period for the program for another six months.
"Millions of senior citizens are still struggling to understand the complexities of the various coverage options and are at risk of being unfairly penalized for not enrolling by today's deadline," Fitzpatrick wrote.
"I am most concerned about low-income seniors that will be penalized for failing to enroll in time. At a minimum, the penalty should be waived for those low-income seniors that are in most need of assistance," Fitzpatrick stressed.
Fitzpatrick firmly believes that the new Medicare Part D plan will significantly assist senior citizens in lowering their health care costs. Millions of seniors are already enrolled and saving thousands of dollars annually on their prescription drug costs. Moreover, the average premium for individuals enrolling in the program is just $25 per month - a significant reduction from original estimates of $37 per month. This success is why Fitzpatrick is so interested in allowing more time for seniors to sign up.
"I've held over 15 town hall meetings across the district over the past year and met with nearly four thousand senior citizens in an effort to educate them on the new drug program," Fitzpatrick said. "By far the most troubling issue for my constituents was the complexity of the new program. That is why I introduced legislation to extend the deadline for six months and eliminate the penalties for late sign-up."
Fitzpatrick's legislation, H.R. 4399, the "Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries' Informed Choice Act" was introduced on November 18, 2005. The Bill is currently awaiting consideration by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
"I hope President Bush understands the urgency of my letter and extends the deadline so that even more seniors will be able to take advantage of this successful program," Fitzpatrick added.
http://fitzpatrick.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=43773