"It's Working": Medicare Prescription Coverage Helps Mother of Pfizer Sales Rep

Medicare Success Story See how Medicare Part D is working for Margaret Holland, mother of a Pfizer sales rep. View the video

April 10, 2007 - As Powers sales colleague Cynthia Hoffmann's mother fights cancer, Medicare is helping her save thousands of dollars on the medicines she relies on. Medicare Part D is working for her, and she shares her story with PfizerWorld.

When people ask Cynthia Hoffmann how the Medicare prescription coverage program is working, she says, "Ask my mom."

Hoffmann works as a Powers sales colleague in Minneapolis. When her mother, Margaret Holland of Rollingstone, Minnesota, learned a few years ago that she has gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), she was fortunate that Novartis had recently begun selling Gleevec.

Ms. Holland says Medicare and her supplemental insurance did not cover prescription medications, so she "just paid for them out of pocket. It ran a little over $3,000 for a 30-day supply."

But once she signed up for prescription coverage that the Medicare Modernization Act created, her out-of-pocket costs plummeted.

"They paid 95 percent of that $3,000," she says. "That is a lot of money."

Like more than 80 percent of the 39 million Americans enrolled in Medicare prescription drug coverage, she's happy with the results.

"I signed up because I felt it was a good safety net," she says. "I got what I wanted, and I think I made a very good choice. I have never had trouble getting my medicines, even when I was out of town. They just took my card, ran it through, and it all came out fine. No problem at all."

"I am very happy with the program," Ms. Holland says. "In 2006, I saved over $22,000 on my medications, so I feel very, very happy."

The Medicare prescription drug coverage program, also known as "Medicare Part D," enables beneficiaries to choose prescription drug coverage that Medicare approves and competing private-sector insurance companies provide. This system gives older Americans the flexibility to select a drug plan that best meets their unique needs.

The system of private competition is driving costs down for older Americans. Medicare reports that beneficiaries are saving an average of $1,200 a year on their medicines.

Pfizer learned about the Hollands' story from Cynthia's District Manager Jason Demuth, who is also a member of Pfizer's congressional district captain program. In addition to his sales responsibilities, Jason meets regularly with Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, and his staff to keep them informed about Pfizer's perspective on public policy issues from the grassroots level.

Jason told Cynthia that because the Medicare prescription coverage system is working so well, he and Pfizer's 535 other district captains are urging members of Congress to resist proposed changes to the law.

Cynthia mentioned how pleased her mom has been with her coverage. Later, when Jason was discussing Cynthia's mother's situation with congressional district captain program leaders at headquarters, they thought it would be great to share her story with others. Jason asked Cynthia if her mother would consider telling her story as part of Pfizer's 15-month "It's Working" effort to help demonstrate the success of Medicare Part D.

This campaign has featured actress Ruby Dee, former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, and former Senator Bob Dole talking about the program's successes for older Americans.

Cynthia's mother was eager to help, and she recently filmed a short video telling her story. Additional Medicare Part D success stories are available on the Internet at bobdoleonmedicare.com.

The "It's Working" campaign is gearing up as the U.S. Senate prepares to consider legislation to repeal the "non-interference" clause and enable the federal government to negotiate directly with prescription drug manufacturers. Given the federal government's purchasing power, such a change is likely to lead to price controls and restrictions on patients' access to medicines, which is common in other countries with similar laws. Since the U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation in January, the need to act has grown even more urgent.

Success stories like Ms. Holland's are the best tool Pfizer has to help fight off harmful changes to the Medicare law. If you know someone who is benefitting from prescription coverage under Medicare Part D, e-mail the story to PfizerInAction@pfizer.com. To tell your senator that you support the current system of prescription coverage, click here.