Rep. Billy Dalto Hosts Town Hall Event To Encourage Enrollment In New Medicare Prescription Drug

This is the biggest change in Medicare since its inception in 1965, says Rep. Dalto. I encourage all of those eligible to give it some serious consideration.

Representative Billy Dalto Photo By: Tim King

(SALEM) - A town hall event hosted by Rep. Billy Dalto (R-Salem) will address questions and provide information about the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.

It happens Tuesday, March 14th at 6:30 PM at the Salem Public Library in the Anderson B Room The library is located at 585 Liberty St. SE. The event is free and open to the public.

Statewide Medicare Coordinator Cindy Becker will present information on Medicare Part D and the recent changes to the Medicare program. Part D resource materials will be available.

`This is the biggest change in Medicare since its inception in 1965," says Rep. Dalto. `I encourage all of those eligible to give it some serious consideration."

There are currently more than 500,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Oregon, 14 percent of the state`s total population. Nearly 87 percent of those eligible for Medicare are seniors, while the remaining 13 percent are people younger than 65 with disabilities.

Statistics recently released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show that 55 percent of Medicare beneficiaries in Oregon, 303,427 individuals, have some kind of drug coverage. This number includes those who enrolled in both stand-alone prescription drug plans, individuals with Medicare managed care plans that include prescription coverage and those that have drug coverage through other means.

All people who currently have Medicare Parts A and/or B can enroll in one of the prescription drug plans. The opportunity to enroll in a plan extends from Nov. 15, 2005 to May 15, 2006. Without enrollment, individuals are not eligible for coverage. If enrollment is not completed by May 15 and the enrollee doesn`t have equal or better prescription coverage, a penalty may be incurred.

For more information on the town hall event, please contact Annie Klug at 503-595-8350.

For more information on the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit, visit www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or call the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program at 1-800-722-4134.