Federal officials target Medicare’s poor-performing drug plans

[alp227]

Source: Wash. Post

Nationally, federal officials have given negative assessments to more than a quarter of Medicare’s rated prescription drug plans that will be available to seniors in 2012. And in the Washington metropolitan area, 36 percent score unacceptably low, according to an analysis of Medicare data.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is notifying the plans that, unless they improve their performance over the next few years, they face expulsion from Medicare.

This month, CMS revised the way it rates Medicare drug plans to focus more on quality, and many plans’ ratings fell from 2011 to 2012. The criteria changed to stress clinical outcomes, such as whether a patient takes his medication the way he is supposed to, in addition to process measures, such as how long a patient is kept on hold when calling the plan. In judging 2012 plans, CMS for the first time considered whether patients kept up with medications for diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol. It also considered complaints lodged against plans and the numbers of people who choose to leave plans.

While the new system labeled more plans as poor performers, CMS says this is likely to lead to better options for the 28 million elderly and disabled beneficiaries who rely on those plans to help pay for their medications.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2011/10/24/gIQAXdo5GM_story.html

[HowHeThinks]

1. My experience........

with trying to contact my prescription drug provider:

I was told "the best time to call is later in the week, Wednesday through Friday, from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM".

I called at 7:00 PM on Thursday and was told that my wait time would be "60 minutes". :banghead:

I wonder what it would have been if I called on the "peak" hours? :mad:

[Downwinder]

2. Cosmetics