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GAO-06-139R 1 (2005-11-18)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptaseu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Sai Accountability * Integrity * Reliability United States Government Accountability Office Washington, DC 20548 November 18, 2005 The Honorable Henry A. Waxman Ranking Minority Member Committee on Government Reform House of Representatives Subject: Medicare: CMS's Beneficiary Education and Outreach Efforts for the Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card and Transitional Assistance Program Dear Mr. Waxman: Established by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), the Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card and Transitional Assistance Program' is designed to help participants obtain prescription drugs at reduced prices.2 All Medicare beneficiaries, except those with drug coverage through Medicaid, are eligible to enroll in the program to obtain drug discount cards, which are offered through private sector sponsors. In addition, enrollees in the program with low incomes who lack other drug coverage are also eligible for up to $600 each year in transitional assistance to help pay for their prescriptions. The drug card program, which began enrolling beneficiaries in May 2004, serves as an interim measure until January 1, 2006, when, in accordance with MMA, a prescription drug benefit becomes available to the nearly 42 million people enrolled in Medicare. MMA required the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to broadly disseminate information on the program to the millions of Medicare beneficiaries-seniors and people under age 65 with permanent disabilities-who are eligible for a drug discount card. In response, CMS began education and outreach efforts designed to publicize the availability and features of the drug discount cards, provide information to facilitate beneficiary choice, and assist beneficiaries with the enrollment process. You asked us to provide information on CMS's efforts because the agency's experience in supporting the drug card program may yield important insights relevant to implementing the new prescription drug benefit that becomes effective in 2006. In this report, we (1) describe CMS's education and outreach efforts in support of the 'Throughout this report we refer to the Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card and Transitional Assistance program as the drug card program. 2Pub. L. No. 108-173, sec. 101(a), § 1860D-31, 117 Stat. 2066, 2131--48 (to be codified as 42 U.S.C. § 1395w-141). GAO-06-139R Drug Card Education and Outreach

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