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UMNS# 167-United Methodist Association links to senior drug program


From "NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>
Date Tue, 22 Mar 2005 15:10:38 -0600

United Methodist Association links to senior drug program

Mar. 22, 2005

By Joretta Purdue*

An association of United Methodist caregivers is providing an efficient
link for low-income seniors to the current Medicare drug program.

The link allows seniors to be enrolled in the program by church
volunteers, family members or any other person with Internet access.

Seniors whose income is no more than $12,569 if single ($16,862 for a
married couple) are eligible for a $600 credit toward their prescription
drug costs if they are enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Part B. The
credit will be reduced to $450 for those who are not enrolled by March
31. It is available only to who do not have an insurance drug benefit.

The United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries has
added software created by DestinationRx to its Web site,
www.UMAssociation.org to provide enrollment for the drug credit.
Enrollment is offered in cooperation with Medicare and discount drug
card sponsors.

The national association of United Methodist-related ministries and
professionals concerned about the quality of health care in a
faith-based setting is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. The association
announced a partnership with prescription drug and health discounter
DestinationRx in March 2004 to offer a free card with discounts of up to
50 percent on medicine and other supplies.

Anyone with a computer and Internet access can use the new link to
enroll seniors in the program.

Kathy Adams, a service coordinator at a Department of Housing and Urban
Development facility in Blairsville, Ga., said enrolling a senior takes
10 to 15 minutes if the person who is operating the computer has already
registered as a volunteer. Initial registration can take another 10
minutes, she said.

Potential enrollees need to have the names and dosage of the medications
they take so the software can provide information about the specific
program that offers the largest discounts on their medicines. Seniors
will also need to provide accurate income information to qualify for the
credit.

"It is our intention to provide denomination-wide publicity so that
every congregation and each agency of the church can enroll eligible
seniors through our Web site," said the Rev. Mearle Griffith, UMA
president. He believes the association is the only faith-based
organization providing online enrollment for the drug credit.

A survey by the Kaiser Foundation indicated that more than 30 percent of
seniors who have heart failure, diabetes or high blood pressure but were
without drug insurance skipped doses. About half as many people who had
such coverage skipped doses.

For anyone - regardless of age or income -- without insurance for their
medications, the UMA Web site offers comparison-shopping between the
many drug discount programs offered by manufacturers and pharmacies.
Enrollment for these cannot be completed online, but the information can
help consumers make an informed selection.

"It's wonderful because it compares different programs -- different
cards side-by-side -- and it shows what pharmacy in the area carries
that specific program," said Adams, who participated in a pilot program
last fall.

Griffith estimates that the association's discount drug program, which
has existed for a year now, has saved 48,000 enrollees nearly $1.5
million, or an average of 28 percent of the retail costs of their drugs.

People can obtain information about either the drug credit or discount
drug programs by going to www.UMAssociation.org, and clicking on the
DestinationRx logo. Visitors then select choosing a prescription
discount card or registering as a volunteer to help seniors enroll
online for the drug credit.

*Purdue is a retired staff writer of United Methodist News Service.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470
or newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org


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