Alzheimer's Moment: Medicare Part D

My mother is 77 and suffering from Alzheimer's disease. She has a good HMO health insurance plan, underwritten in part by CDPHP, that she's kept in place after retiring from a local university years ago.

In an effort to reduce costs to its retired workers, a new plan is being offered that's a hybrid of the current plan and the new Medicare Part D — which is designed to reduce the impact of the spiraling costs of prescription drugs.

Her monthly premiums will drop from ~$500 to ~$200. That's a savings of $300/month = $3,600/year! This is HUGE for someone on a fixed income.

Employers should investigate these types of plans for their retirees. Any decrease in premiums means more money for food, heating, and utilities. Seniors should find out if their former employers offer such a plan, and if not, why not?