US campaign group sets up on-line Medicare advice

The Medicare Rights Center, a US campaigning organization, has set up an on-line advice service for older people and the disabled, to enable them to select the best Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit plan, as well as to find ways of finding additional financial support for drug costs, where necessary.

The MRC has campaigned against the diversity of plan providers, describing the choices as "confusing," as well as echoing Democratic party positions on federal price controls for prescription drugs, the late-enrollment penalty, among others.

Robert Hayes the MRC's president, in a statement, said: "we are making the independent and consumer friendly on-line tools our counsellors use available to everyone who needs them." Mr Hayes added: "we are helping older and disabled americans make the best drug plan choice possible, especially since most people will be locked into their plan for the entire year and they are unreliable and costly."