BCBSA Public Opinion Research Demonstrates Overwhelming Support For Medicare(plus)Choice Among Program Enrollees

9/17/2002

From: John Parker of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), 202-626-4818, john.parker@wro.bcbsa.com

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- A vast majority of enrollees in Medicare(plus)Choice (M(plus)C) express overwhelming support for the program and are worried about the impact on their access to comprehensive healthcare benefits if the program were no longer available, according to public opinion research commissioned by Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and conducted by Hickman-Brown Public Opinion Research.

The survey also indicated that the loss of this option would be an election issue for seniors.

"This research illustrates how much M(plus)C enrollees value this program," stated Mary Nell Lehnhard, senior vice president, BCBSA Office of Policy and Representation. "Ninety-one percent of the respondents are significantly vested in their healthcare plan and 94 percent indicated that what they most appreciated was the ability to choose their coverage."

The Medicare(plus)Choice program was established in 1997 to give beneficiaries a range of health coverage choices and to protect them from high out-of-pocket costs. Through M(plus)C, enrollees also receive affordable coverage for important benefits not covered under Medicare, such as prescription drugs, vision and hearing care services, and preventive healthcare services.

Since 1999, the Medicare(plus)Choice program steadily has been losing plans and enrollees. Between 1999 and 2001, insurance plan withdrawals and service area reductions disrupted coverage for 1.5 million consumers. After growing rapidly to 6.3 million in 1999, enrollment in Medicare(plus)Choice has declined to about 5 million. Congress currently is debating the level of future federal support for the program.

According to the Hickman-Brown public opinion research, 60 percent of enrollees would blame Congress if the M(plus)C program were eliminated and 84 percent said they would vote against their Member of Congress if they thought that their representative was responsible for the program's demise.

"The respondents clearly indicated that they would hold Congress directly accountable if inadequate funding caused this program to dissolve, or if individual plans had to depart from their markets leaving current M(plus)C enrollees without coverage," said Lehnhard.

The Hickman-Brown research also found that the loss of the M(plus)C program would have a wide ranging and severe impact on enrollees.

-- 84 percent would worry about having problems paying medical bills; -- 82 percent would worry they could not afford prescription drugs; -- 79 percent would worry they could not visit a doctor when necessary; -- 76 percent would worry they would have to rely on the emergency room rather than personal physician for routine care; -- 68 percent would worry they would have to rely on family to pay medical bills; and -- 66 percent would worry they would have to file for bankruptcy.

In addition, the poll showed that while seniors are worried about the future of Medicare (88 percent), many are not aware of the likelihood that their plan could change or disappear (37 percent). This indicates a potential backlash at the election polls if M(plus)C enrollees suddenly find themselves without comprehensive healthcare benefits.

The study was conducted by surveying 800 M(plus)C beneficiaries in California, Florida, New Jersey and New York -- with 200 responses collected in each key geographic area. The Hickman-Brown research complements a BCBSA study released last April by Kenneth Thorpe of Emory University that showed that minority and low-income groups benefit the most from the M(plus)C program. To view a copy of the Thorpe study, go to http://www.BCBSHealthIssues.com.

------ The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is made up of 42 independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for 84.7 million -- more than 30 percent of all Americans. For more information on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, visit http://www.BCBS.com. For more information on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's policy positions and the healthcare debate, visit http://www.BCBSHealthIssues.com.