Here are more details to supplement what my earlier post discussed.  Everyone will make money, bu the consumers will suffer.  It's NOT ONLY "seniors" that are going to have a problem, all those who are already receiving Medicaid Part A and B are automatically being SWITCHED or ASSIGNED to a prescription drug provider.  When I called to set up an appointment to review best plans for my son, I was told, "Oh, he is automatically assigned".  NO, I do not want that, I want to review and select.  It seems that the government program staff are not attuned to what changes are coming and why people will want to review their options!  The following is a quoted information piece, forwarded to me today by email from a member of ABIL, A Bridge to Independent Living.

Jumping the gun on Medicare

Health plan-retailer teams brief seniors on new drug benefit

By Bruce Japsen

Tribune staff reporter

Published August 1, 2005

The nation's largest health plans are teaming with chains like Walgreens and Wal-Mart to launch in-store educational campaigns about the Medicare
drug benefit as early as this week--10 weeks earlier than government rules allow them to start marketing their plans.

Critics contend new in-store campaigns targeting seniors are largely promotional, using an "educational" moniker to skirt the rules,
allowing major insurers to get a leg up on Medicare's new $720 billion drug benefit.

Drugstore chains and major health plans like Humana Inc. and UnitedHealth Group deny they are violating Medicare's rules on
marketing drug benefits to seniors because they are not revealing product- or plan-specific benefits, which cannot be discussed or marketed with
seniors until October.

In fact, they say they were encouraged by the Bush administration to brand materials and provide education amid confusion and lack of
awareness about the drug benefit being added in January 2006 to Medicare, the federal health insurance program for 41 million elderly
and disabled in the United States.

The drug benefit, estimated to cost $720 billion over 10 years, is expected to provide seniors on average $1,300 in annual drug benefits
at a projected monthly premium of $37.