90 percent of U.S. seniors have drug plan

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Despite complaints about Medicare Part D, more than 90 percent of U.S. adults over age 65 have prescription drug coverage, compared to 75 percent in 2004.

The University of Michigan analysis included a nationally representative sample of 10,175 older U.S. adults, interviewed in 2004 and in 2006.

David Weir, a University of Michigan economist, and director of the Institute for Social Research Health and Retirement Study and University of Michigan economist Helen Levy found in 2004 that 23 percent of Americans age 65 and older did not have prescription drug coverage, compared to less than 10 percent in 2006.

The most common reason given for not seeking prescription drug coverage was that the seniors said they used few or no drugs, said Weir.

One in six of the seniors reported that their decision to sign up for Part D was very or somewhat difficult, but the vast majority said the decision was not very difficult or not difficult, said Weir.

The findings were presented Friday at the National Press Club in Washington.