'Doughnut hole' unites seniors wary of health bill

MIAMI – Lawmakers have wooed seniors skeptical of the health care overhaul by emphasizing the plan would close the "doughnut hole" — a gap in Medicare drug coverage that can cost thousands of dollars a year.

But getting support for the entire overhaul from this powerful voting bloc has been difficult, despite Democrats' repeated mentions of the issue in town hall meetings, interviews and congressional hearings.
Janet Cohen, 75, would like to see the doughnut hole closed, but like many, she still is uncertain about the health bills.

Cohen and her 97-year-old mother are both in the doughnut hole because their out-of-pocket drug costs exceeded $2,700 this year. Rather than just a copay, each one now must foot the entire cost of their medications for the rest of the year, or until their annual spending reaches $4,350, which isn't likely to happen. If it does, the government will again subsidize the costs.

The Cohens, who live just north of Miami, are both on Social Security and eating through savings. Janet Cohen just learned she was in the doughnut hole when she went to pick up her supply of Aricept, which she takes for memory loss. Instead of the copay, she was charged nearly $200.
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'Doughnut hole' unites seniors wary of health bill