For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Justin Burke - 213.201.1525
EMAIL:jburke@apla.org
AIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES ROLLS OUT MEDICARE
PART D COUNSELING
AS ENROLLMENT BEGINS NOVEMBER 15
Los Angeles, CA, October 27, 2005 – Between now and January 1, up to 90,000 Medicare beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS -- approximately 65 percent of whom are dually eligible for Medicaid – will be switched to a new prescription drug coverage, Medicare Part D. This new program represents the biggest change in public health care benefits in 40 years and will have a significant impact on anyone living on a fixed income. Estimates are that as many as 5,000 Angelenos will be affected by this change.
In response to this transition, AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) today announced the creation of a Medicare Part D hotline as part of its comprehensive counseling services. Callers will either speak directly to a benefits counselor or receive a return call within two hours. The hotline number is 213.201.1365.
Beginning January 1, 2006, people in California living with HIV/AIDS who receive coverage from both Medicare and Medi-Cal will lose their Medi-Cal drug coverage and will be automatically transitioned to Part D benefit of Medicare, which will be more costly to the consumer.
Similarly, for those enrolled in both ADAP and Medicare, Part D will become their primary drug coverage. While all antiretrovirals will be covered by Part D drug plans, drugs needed to treat other conditions in people with HIV/AIDS will not necessarily be on all drug formularies, and certain cost-sharing requirements may apply to people who do not meet low-income thresholds.
“We hope to reach as many people as possible and help them to get all of the information they need to make this important decision,” said Craig E. Thompson, executive director of AIDS Project Los Angeles. “For both service providers and clients alike, there is a lot of information to assimilate about Part D in a very short period of time. Many people will need help before they can select a plan that works best for their individual circumstances.”
APLA will also be hosting information sessions for other service providers in each the eight LA County Service Planning Areas, while also hosting weekly workshops at its David Geffen Center in Mid-Wilshire and in West Hollywood at Plummer Park. These workshops with benefits counselors will allow clients to use online resources to evaluate their individual planning needs.
AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of the largest non-profit AIDS service organizations in the United States, provides bilingual direct services, prevention education and leadership on HIV/AIDS-related policy and legislation. Founded by four friends in 1982, APLA is a community-based, volunteer-supported organization with local, national and global reach. For more information, visit www.apla.org.
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