"Tracking Survey of Seniors Enrolled in the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit," America's Health Insurance Plans: The survey, the third in a series of tracking polls conducted for AHIP by Ayres, McHenry & Associates, finds that 70% of seniors who self-enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug benefit would recommend that other seniors sign up for the benefit, a 14 percentage point increase since December 2005. The survey also finds that 58% of enrollees say they are saving money with the benefit, compared with 51% who in December 2005 believed they would save money. In addition, 8% of seniors have reached the "doughnut hole" -- the coverage gap in which beneficiaries are responsible for 100% of drug costs between $2,250 and $5,100. Twenty percent of seniors have not reached the coverage gap but expect to sometime this year, the survey finds. According to the survey, 88% of seniors report having no problems with the benefit (AHIP release, 9/12).

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