“With 17 plans available in Wisconsin and 43 options within those plans, it is very confusing to most individuals. There are massive amounts of mail being sent out. Most people are just so overwhelmed that they are tossing it all out.”
“We had 150 people attend an information session in Rice Lake. That tells you how confusing it is. Organizations, such as the Wisconsin Retired Teachers Association, are holding their own meetings and making recommendations to their members.”
“For people who aren't on or are on very few prescription drugs right now, they might want to wait until April to enroll and take out a less costly plan,”
“Unfortunately the drug finder program being offered through the Medicare Web site is not yet up and running. It is the main tool that will help us counsel people and on the costs and benefits of each plan.”
“Insurance companies have comparison charts for plans within their company. It's not as good as having the one web site, but it is another option for people who want to start researching. We continue to check the Medicare site every day.”
“We are telling Medicaid individuals to wait and see which plan they are enrolled in. Most of the plans will match people's needs. There may be a situation where a specific drug is not being covered or a pharmacy is not on their list, but for those people changes can be made.”
“Seniors, the disabled, the mentally ill, people on life-saving transplant rejection drugs - the least medically secure have been the most affected. At least now with a state emergency declared no one will walk out of the pharmacy without the medications they need.”
“Seniors, pharmacists, advocates have all been trying to get through to the various agencies and legislators trying to get this straightened out. They are being bombarded with calls.”
“I was working with one woman who enrolled in a plan because it had all the medications she needed. Now it doesn't. Her doctor needed to be contacted to write an exception which would allow her to get the coverage. Doctors' offices are now being overwhelmed with these requests.”
