Senior Center Forum To Provide Information on Medicare Changes

The is hosting a public forum to explain howfederal health care reform affects Medicare recipients. The forum takes place at 4 p.m. Thursday.

Dr. David Cooke, of the University of Michigan, will detail how the legislation changes the "donut hole" and impacts Medicare Advantage plan. He will also provide information about new preventative health programs included in the legislation.

Saline City Councilman Brian Marl is moderating the forum.

According to Pam Molascon, recreational and enrichment director at the senior center, it's Cooke's second talk on the impact of the controversial health care reform.

"The last forum was very well attended. Dr. Cooke did an excellent job presenting the facts in a very neutral way. He's not talking about things in a political way. He's really careful to explain exactly how the new health care affects senior citizens," Molascon said. "This time, he will go to more detail to explain how this legislation specifically affects Medicare."

Molascon said it is an important issue.

"Many seniors have it very tough right now and health care is often one of the biggest costs, so it's important to understand things as they change," she said.

Marl said he was approached by Malascon about doing a forum last year after she reported that seniors had many questions about the new health care legislation. Marl talked with contacts and they recommended Dr. Cooke.

"He just blew me away with his knowledge and insight and general passion for the subject," said Marl.

There will be informational hand-outs and a question-and-answer session.

One  forum's topics is how health care reform affects the Medicare Part D coverage gap, also known as the Medicare donut hole. The donut hole is the difference between the initial coverage limit and the catastrophic threshold. After a Medicare beneficiary reaches the prescription drug coverage, he or she is on the hook for the entire costs of drugs until those costs reach the catastrophic coverage threshold.

Prior to the health care bill signed into law in 2010, seniors in Medicare Part D paid the first $310 for prescriptions before coverage began. Medicare coverage covered 75 percent costs between $310 and $2,830.  But seniors were responsible for 100 percent of drug costs between $2,830 and $4,550, which is when catastrophic coverage kicked in and Medicare paid 95 percent of the costs. The new law provides beneficiaries with subsidies to shoulder the costs seniors incur because of the cap.