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dustyelbow

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Oct 25, 2005
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On Medicare because Bush has set the deadline.

Medicare education sought for blacks
By Brian DeBose
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published March 15, 2006

Black doctors and advocates for senior citizens spoke loudly to black Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill yesterday urging them to put politics aside and work harder to enroll seniors in the Medicare prescription drug plan.
"We find ourselves in a difficult position because we didn't support the president's Medicare drug plan in its current form, but among those who have had the most difficulty enrolling in the plan are African- Americans," said Delegate Donna M.C. Christensen, Virgin Islands Democrat, and chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus' Health Braintrust.
She said black lawmakers are obligated to redouble their efforts to educate seniors in their districts about the plan and get them enrolled before the May 15 deadline.
President Bush is also worried about seniors not signing up. Yesterday in New York, the president admitted the early going had been confusing, but he urged retirees to give the program a second look.
"People need to take a look," Mr. Bush said. "One of the reasons I have come is to ask people who are eligible for Medicare just to explore the options. It's a good deal."
If a person who qualifies for Medicare Part D does not enroll by the May 15 deadline, they will have to pay 100 percent of the cost for their prescription drugs until the next enrollment period in November. They also will be penalized a 1 percent reduction in cost coverage for each month they are not enrolled for the rest of their life.

Democrats yesterday called on Mr. Bush to extend the deadline and remove the penalty from the plan. But black doctors, fearing that many of the more than 4 million eligible black seniors will be left out, said regardless of the president's response, waiting is not an option and the time has come to educate seniors about the benefit and get them enrolled.
"We want to take the politics out of the equation and focus on the benefits of Medicare Part D," said Dr. Sandra L. Gadson, president of the National Medical Association, a group of more than 25,000 black doctors. She said black leaders "can ill afford to sit back while our senior population struggles with how to get enrolled in this valuable program."
Dr. Garth N. Graham, deputy assistant secretary for minority health with the Department of Health and Human Services, said the administration is also a partner with the NMA, AARP, the National Pan-Hellenic Council of black sororities and fraternities, the National Urban League and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, to educate seniors.
Each group will work with its chapters across the country to put on local town hall meetings, mobile office tours and incorporate any other ideas such as health fairs to get the message out, but they have only 75 days to do it.
Democrats have opposed and denounced the Medicare drug plan since 2003, but that has put black politicians, mostly Democrats, at odds with many of their senior constituents, who are not only confused by the plan but also by the message from their representatives.
The NMA's message to the black community "is that this will help seniors, despite the maze you have to go through to get enrolled," said Ben Johnson, former assistant to President Clinton.
He said many black seniors have said that ministers and other black leaders have told them not to enroll.
"I am delighted that the NMA has stepped up to the plate to correct that," Mr. Johnson said.
Fran Cooper, 67, an enrollee from Bellevue, Neb., said she hated the plan when she first enrolled and hated it more after she went through the process of educating herself about it, which for the most part can only be done via the Internet -- a problem for black seniors who have limited familiarity with or access to computers.
She said the best approach is to have health fairs, where elected officials invite the insurance companies to meet with seniors to figure out the plan that works best for them.
"You can never make this work by giving out general information, because this is not a general plan; it's a personal plan, no different than the coverage you had when you were working," Mrs. Cooper said.
•Stephen Dinan contributed to this report.
 
Some Black Churches Urging Seniors Not to Enroll

Riverside

By Chris Levister

With the May 15 deadline to enroll in Medicare Part D looming, Black doctors and health advocates for seniors are turning up the heat to get millions of African-American seniors signed up.

Rationalizing that Black seniors are better off o*n the inside looking out than o*n the outside looking in, the National Medical Association, (NMA) is urging its members to redouble their efforts to enroll seniors in the nation's embattled Medicare prescription drug plan.

"We want to take the politics out of the equation and focus o*n the benefits of Medicare Part D," said Dr. Sandra L. Gladson, president of the NMA, a group of more than 25,000 Black doctors. She said Black leaders "can ill afford to sit back while the population at greatest risk for unhealthy outcomes struggles with how to get enrolled."

The NMA's message to the Black community "is that this will help seniors, despite the maze you have to go through to get enrolled," said Dr. Garth N. Graham, deputy assistant secretary for minority health with the Department of Health and Human Services.

The NMA is struggling to combat a powerful message coming from some pulpits across America: "Don't enroll." "Many Black seniors have said that ministers, church organizations and other Black leaders have told them not to enroll. While these messages are well intended considering the plan's highly criticized rollout, now is the time to step up to the plate with education and get Blacks enrolled," said Dr. Gladson.

Edel Archer, 78 of Riverside is torn between the advice she gets from church members versus the recommendation from her doctor to enroll in the drug plan. "My doctor says it's a good deal. But, I've heard horror stories from church members who have seen prescription costs double and triple under the plan. Some were signed up involuntarily or had been forced to switch from plans they liked," she said.

Democrats have opposed and denounced the Medicare drug plan since 2003, but "that has put Black politicians, mostly Democrats, at odds with many of their senior constituents, who are not o*nly confused by the plan but also by the message from their ministers and their representatives," said Donna M.C. Christensen, Virgin Islands Democrat, and Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus' Health Braintrust.

If a person who qualifies for Medicare Part D does not enroll by the May 15 deadline, they will have to pay 100 percent of the cost for their prescription drugs until the next enrollment period in November. They will also be penalized a 1 percent reduction in cost coverage for each month they are not enrolled for the rest of their life.

Democrats called o*n President Bush to extend the deadline and remove the penalty from the plan. But Black doctors fearing many of the more than 4 million eligible Black seniors will be left out, said regardless of the president's response, waiting is not an option and the time has come to educate seniors about the benefit and get them enrolled. "Black seniors are better off among the voices for improving the plan than o*n the sidelines among those without a voice," said Dr. Gladson.

The NMA has joined with AARP, the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Black sororities and fraternities, the National Urban League and the NAACP, to educate seniors.

Each group will work with its chapters across the country to put o*n local town hall meetings, mobile office tours and incorporate any other ideas such as health fairs to get the message out, but they have less than 75 days to do it.

Rev. Stephanie Fletcher, enrollee and assistant pastor of All Saint's Church in Hemet, said she encourages seniors to enroll in the drug plan. However, she admits she hated the plan when she first enrolled and hated it more after she went through the process of educating herself about it, which for the most part can o*nly be done via the Internet - a problem for Black seniors who have limited familiarity with or access to computers.

She said the best approach is to have health fairs at community senior centers and churches where insurance companies and Medicare representatives can meet with seniors to figure out the plan that works best for them.

"You can never expect people, many of them descendents of slaves, to simply lay down their deep mistrust of the government and say 'sign me up'. You've got to get the ministers, doctors and Black community leaders singing off the same sheet. This has to become a joint education process," Rev. Fletcher said.

Link
http://www.blackvoicenews.com/modul...=article&sid=4338&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
 

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