Warns Constituents to be Cautious of Scams and Medicare Fraud

June 9, 2010

(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) announced that this week thousands of Central Florida’s seniors will begin receiving checks for $250 to help them with prescription drug costs, as part of the recent health insurance reform law.

“Prescription drug costs are a major hardship for Central Florida’s seniors, costing them thousands of dollars each year,” said Congresswoman Kosmas.  “These checks are a first step to easing that burden and eventually closing the Medicare coverage gap altogether.”  

The 271,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Florida who hit the gap this year will automatically be mailed a one-time $250 rebate check. The first checks will be mailed June 10 and then monthly throughout the year as new beneficiaries hit the Medicare coverage gap. The new law continues to provide additional discounts for seniors on Medicare in the years ahead and will completely close the Medicare coverage gap by 2020.

Medicare recipients don’t have to do anything to get the check—once their drug costs for the year hit $2,830, the checks will be issued automatically.  However, Kosmas warned seniors to be on the lookout for scams.

“Unfortunately, scam artists around the country have been preying on seniors who are expecting this check,” said Kosmas. “If you receive a call asking you to disclose personal information like Social Security numbers and bank account information in order to receive your check, you should hang up and call my office  or the Attorney General’s office right away.”

The $250 checks are just the first step in reducing prescription drug prices under the health care reform law.  Next year, seniors who fall into the Medicare coverage gap will get a 50 percent discount on name-brand prescription drugs and a 75 percent discount on generics.  The average Central Florida senior will save $700 next year on prescription drugs as a result of the health care reform law.