Medicare drug coverage gap leads some elderly patients to forgo medicine

From the Associated Press August 22, 2008 Many people in Medicare with diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions stop taking their medicine when faced with picking up the entire cost of their prescriptions, researchers say. About 3.4 million older and disabled people hit a gap, known as the doughnut hole, in their Medicare drug coverage in 2007. When that happened, they had to pay the entire costs of their medicine until they spent $3,850 out of pocket. Then, insurance coverage would kick in again. About 15% of those hitting the coverage gap stopped their treatment regimen. That rate varied depending upon illness.