More rebate checks have been mailed to seniors who have entered the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole."
The latest round of tax-free, one-time rabet checks of $250 were mailed this week to some of the more than 300,000 eligible seniors, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Thursday.
The checks are the first step in closing the prescription drug coverage gap under the Affordable Care Act, she said. The first round of checks was distributed in the middle of June. As qualifying Medicare recipients fall into the doughnut hole, they will be sent a rebate check by Medicare.
"Seniors and other Medicare recipients in the Medicare doughnut hole are struggling to afford the medications they need and their basic living expenses," Sebelius said. "Seventy percent of our first round of these $250 rebate checks were cashed within a week of eligible Medicare recipients receiving them, so we know that folks really need some help."
According to Sebelius, the Affordable Care Act starts to close the doughnut hole this year, giving much-needed relief to millions of seniors. Next year, HHS will issue Medicare beneficiaries in the doughnut hole a 50 percent discount on their brand name medications.
"Every year from 2012 until 2020, the Affordable Care Act will take progressive steps to close the doughnut hole," Sebelius said.
Jonathan Blum, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' deputy administrator and director for the Center for Medicare, said seniors don't need to do anything to receive the checks.
He warned seniors to beware of scams that would require them to give out their personal Medicare information over the phone.
"If someone asks for your personal Medicare information over the phone who isn't a trusted resource like Medicare, please don't provide it," Blum said. "Seniors or family members should contact us at 1-800-MEDICARE to report any of these types of calls or go to www.stopmedicarefraud.gov to learn more about efforts to fight fraud and scams against seniors."