Senate Dems predict Medicare win in ’06
By Carrie Sheffield

Senate Democrats and a handful of centrist Republicans are poised to strike a political blow to the White House early next year by passing legislation that would change the Medicare prescription drug benefit.

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) has enough votes to pass a bill that would extend the Medicare prescription-drug-benefit enrollment period for seniors until the end of 2006 and allow seniors a one-time change in plans.

“We are going to try to attach our language to the first available vehicle when we come back in January,” said Nelson spokesman Brian Gulley. “It would be the quickest way to get our language passed, as opposed to having to go through the committee gantlet. We have to get this thing passed as quickly as we can.”

The enrollment deadline requires Medicare beneficiaries to pick a prescription-drug plan between Nov. 15 and May 15, 2006. Seniors who choose a plan after May 15 will be penalized by a 1 percent increase in their premium for each month they delay their choice. Nelson’s Informed Choice Act would push back that penalty deadline to Dec. 31, 2006. As it stands, the law requires seniors to stick with a plan once they have made a choice, but Nelson’s bill would give them the option of switching plans once during 2006.

“By delaying late enrollment penalties and giving every beneficiary a chance to change plans once during the first year, we can make sure that our constituents are not forced to make hasty decisions they may later regret,” Nelson said on the floor when he introduced his bill in October.