Bishop: "Donut Hole" Checks Heading to Medicare Repipients

Press Release

Beginning this week, thousands of New York seniors in the "donut hole" will start getting $250 checks to help pay for prescription drugs, as part of the recent health care reform passed by Congress.

"This down payment helps seniors immediately with prescription drug costs as we work to close the donut hole permanently," Bishop said. "No senior should be forced to choose between their medicine and other necessities."

The $250 checks are the first step in reducing prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients under health care reform. Last year, roughly 246,000 Medicare Part D beneficiaries in New York hit the donut hole, or gap in Medicare Part D drug coverage, and received no extra help to defray the cost of their prescription drugs, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Bishop noted that Medicare beneficiaries in New York who hit the gap this year don't have to take any action to receive the check; once their drug costs for the year hits $2,830, they will automatically be mailed the one-time $250 rebate payment. These checks will continue to be mailed monthly throughout the year as new beneficiaries hit the donut hole.

But he added that seniors should be vigilant about fraud.

"We've heard reports from all over the country of scam artists preying on seniors after the passage of health reform," Bishop said. "If you get a call soliciting your personal or financial information to get your check, hang up and call the Attorney General's office. If you hit the donut hole you will receive a check with no action necessary on your part."

The new health reform law continues to provide additional drug discounts for seniors on Medicare in the years ahead and completely closes the donut hole by 2020.

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