Many seniors are still wary of healthcare reform, but Democrats hope some of the new law’s provisions will help win over reluctant elders, according to recent reports.
For example, so far this summer, roughly 750,000 government-backed checks for $250 have been mailed to Medicare beneficiaries who have fallen into the Part D coverage gap. Millions more will be sent. Democrats would like the checks—while small in proportion to the doughnut hole—to serve as a reminder that something is being done about the problem, according to an Associated Press report. They hope to convince seniors of healthcare reform’s value by the mid-term elections this November.
Many check recipients have scoffed at the low amount of the checks. They note that their prescription costs are in the range of thousands of dollars, the AP reported. Still others say that the gesture is important, and that the checks arrived quickly and efficiently. Recent polls show 56% of seniors, compared with 42% of the general population, still are opposed to the healthcare reform law, according to the AP.
