In January, Banko got interested in Medicare’s new drug benefit, which had debuted that month. But the details seemed “totally confusing.”
“We still have some hiccups,” said Lisa Federico, a GeorgiaCares coordinator. “But we’re not getting nearly the number of problem calls we once did.”
Some with high drug costs have already fallen into the doughnut hole, said Robert Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center. Consumers who reach this gap, he said, “will be surprised and pretty unhappy.”
Now his total payment is $15 because Bradley qualified for a low-income subsidy, which means he pays no premium and has low co-pays. “It’s great,” he said. “And now I’m getting the drug I couldn’t afford.”.

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