Medicare plan "a success;" ex-HHSS

With more than 27.5 million seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in the US Medicare's prescription drug benefit to date, former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson has discussed the growing success of the new drug benefit during the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association's National Autoimmune Diseases Conference.

"The enrollment of 380,000 people per week into Medicare prescription drug coverage is encouraging because we know that seniors and people with disabilities are receiving coverage that increases their access to medicines and reduces their health care costs," he said.

Recent enrollment figures show that more than 60% of the estimated 42 million Americans eligible for the new Medicare Part D drug benefit have prescription drug coverage. "The success of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit is evident every time one of the more than 27.5 million enrolled beneficiaries steps into a pharmacy and receives their medicines," said Thompson. "It is important to acknowledge those who have enrolled in Medicare drug coverage so other beneficiaries will realize that the benefit is there for them and seriously consider what this new coverage means to them." he added.