Changes are in the works for Medicare Part-D. Wisconsin Senator, Democrat Herb Kohl, voted against Part-D, and says it's still confusing; "there are something like 46 or 47 plans here in Wisconsin," says Kohl, making it "very complicated for seniors." Still, Kohl concedes seniors are starting to become more familiar with the program.
Former Republican Governor and Bush administration Secretary of Health and Family Services, Tommy Thompson, is promoting the drug plan, which he helped write. "Eighty percent of the seniors who are in Part-D are happy with it," says Thompson. The latest enrollment period for Part-D began Wednesday and runs through December 31st. Thompson says seniors will have a chance to make changes, if they wish. Kohl says Congress will make some changes too, including more use of lower cost generic drugs.
Kohl expects to address Part-D in the Senate Aging Committee next year, but Thompson doubts any major changes are in the works. "There's no question that they're going to introduce legislation to do some tweaking," says Thompson. "But I don't think they're going to change it too much, because the seniors like it so much.
Kohl opposed the original Part-D plan, which he says was "weighted far too heavily in favor of drug companies."