Dupe: please lock

[DeepModem Mom]

Medicare beneficiaries will not be allowed to buy insurance to cover their share of prescription drug costs under the new Medicare bill to be signed on Monday by President Bush, the legislation says.

Millions of Medicare beneficiaries have bought private insurance to fill gaps in Medicare. But a little-noticed provision of the legislation prohibits the sale of any Medigap policy that would help pay drug costs after Jan. 1, 2006, when the new Medicare drug benefit becomes available.

This is one of many surprises awaiting beneficiaries, who will find big gaps in the drug benefit and might want private insurance to plug the holes — just as they buy insurance to supplement Medicare coverage of doctors' services and hospital care....

A Medicare drug plan could further limit coverage by establishing a list of preferred medicines known as a formulary. The list must include drugs in each "therapeutic category and class" — antihistamines, antidepressants and cholesterol-lowering agents, for example.

But Medicare would not have to pay anything for drugs left off the list. While patients could appeal a denial of coverage, they could not buy private insurance to cover the costs of such drugs.


http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/07/politics/07MEDI.html