Talent Calls for Waiver of Penalty for Seniors Enrolling in Drug Benefit

Senator Jim Talent is calling for waiving the financial penalties for senior citizens who missed Monday’s deadline for signing up for the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Under the current plan, those who missed the deadline will be eligible to enroll in November, but they will be assessed a one percent penalty. Talent says the penalty would amount to about $1.50 to $1.80 a month for most seniors. Talent has joined a bipartisan group of Senators introducing legislation to waive the penalties. He says approximately 72 percent of Missouri seniors who were eligible to sign up did so by the deadline. The next sign up date is in November.