Filling the Donut Hole

Before the new plan year starts on January 1, marking once again the beginning of the prescription drug benefit cycle, many Medicare beneficiaries will find themselves having a difficult time obtaining their medications because of the gap in coverage. This gap in coverage, commonly referred to as the “donut hole,” is the period in the Medicare Part D benefit when the beneficiaries are completely responsible for the cost of their medications.

While many long-term care (LTC) residents are not subject to the donut hole, a fair number of them unfortunately are. The Kaiser Family Fou...