In many ways, the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit focuses attention on the concept of medical homes.
That was part of the message taken to the Wall Street Journal when AAFP President Larry Fields, M.D., of Ashland, Ky., and two other representatives of the Medicare Rx Education Network, met Oct. 25 with Paul Gigot, editor of newspaper's editorial page, and other members of the editorial page staff.
Joined by former Louisiana Sen. John Breaux, chair of the Medicare Rx Education Network, and Mary Greeley of Medicare Today, a partnership of organizations formed to help Medicare patients use the benefits under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, Fields discussed patient education about Medicare Part D prescription benefits. The conversation also touched on developing a health care system that fosters primary care by adequately paying family physicians for their expertise.
"We talked about the need for somebody to coordinate care to avoid polypharmacy, and that the best person to do that is a family physician," said Fields. Medicare patients, Fields told the editorial page staff, need a medical home with a physician who has expertise in evaluating and managing complex health issues.
"I was able to make the point that family physicians are important because our care is more affordable, we help make sure the patients are taking their medications and we help prevent catastrophic (health) issues" that occur when no one coordinates the care of complex health issues, he said.
According to Fields, the reporters and editors agreed that the payment system needs to provide incentives for people to go into family medicine.
Fields' participation in the editorial board meeting was designed to reinforce an understanding that family physicians play an integral part in helping patients navigate a complex health care system. As medical homes for their patients, family physician offices will be vital to helping patients understand the new benefit, which, according to national surveys, has confused many Medicare recipients.
Physicians can help patients by answering questions, giving them information that explains the new prescription benefit and enrollment in available plans, and directing them to the toll-free telephone number, (800) MEDICARE.
As part of its focus on helping members locate pragmatic, easily understood information on Medicare Part D, AAFP has published online resources about Medicare Part D and became a founding member of the Medicare Rx Education Network. The coalition's Web site provides information on benefits, the enrollment process, qualifying for extra help, deadlines for enrolling, and resources from other organizations and agencies.
