Are Perceived Savings of Plan D Worth the Hassle

Vancouver, B.C. (PRWEB) February 7, 2006 -- Medicare Plan D is proving to be a chaotic mess for all concerned: the pharmacists, the doctors and most of all, the patients. More than 20 states have had to cover the cost of drugs for patients who are being refused their medications because they have not made it onto the system or they have fallen through the cracks.

“The country’s most frail and sickest are the ones who are really paying the price,” states Dr. Paul Zickler of DoctorSolve Healthcare Solutions, an online pharmacy service. “They are waiting five to seven days, while the pharmacist attempts to wade through the bureaucratic mess to get them their prescriptions. I feel badly for patients who are caught in the inefficiencies of a plan that is destined to fail.”

Is it all worth it? At the end of 2005, one million seniors voluntarily signed up for Plan D, believing that it was the best, most affordable option. Numerous reports, such as the recent one from AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), worked very hard at convincing them that Medicare is cheaper than buying from Canada.

However, studies cited are narrow, and Medicare Plan D is a more complex picture than a slivered cross-section of patients can adequately represent. There are multitudes of plans, many with sub plans and reams of dizzying formularies to confuse the issue. “It is unlikely that patients with more than one medication will be able to find all their drugs on one formulary at the lowest price,” states Zickler. “Many factors will affect the cost outcome dramatically. Also, many studies don’t take into account that drug prices will go up, and that formularies can change at the insurance company’s discretion.”

For more than half of senior citizens, wrapping their head around Medicare is simply not worth the trouble. A recent survey by DSS Research indicated that over half of their respondents (53%) said they had not chosen a Part D plan and have no plans to do so. The study also showed that disinterested non-buyers would “prefer not to pay attention to information involving numbers.” In other words, they are more approachable with messages that do not show the numbers.

With the confusion over eligibility, delayed access to drugs and the sheer complexity of Medicare, it’s no wonder why many seniors choose the simplicity and reliability of Canadian pharmacy services. “However we fit into the lives of American seniors – whether we’re their only drug source or a fall-back option, they know that when they come to us for their drugs, they won’t be turned away,” states Zickler. “We always deliver with low prices and safe medications. We succeed where Medicare Plan D fails.”

DoctorSolve, a Canadian Internet-based pharmacy intermediary (license #BC Q37), offers lower-cost, long-term prescriptions. A professionally registered pharmacist fills all prescriptions. A certified member of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, DoctorSolve is ranked as one of the best online pharmacies by PharmacyChecker.com. DoctorSolve has filled more than 200,000 U.S. prescriptions.