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Title: Drug Plan Doesn't Speak Their Language
Source:
The Los Angeles Times
URL Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/l ... y?coll=la-headlines-california
Published: Mar 27, 2006
Author: Rong-Gong Lin II
Post Date: 2006-03-27 22:26:36 by robin
Keywords: medicare, immigrants, language
Views: 118
Comments: 16
Drug Plan Doesn't Speak Their Language Seniors with limited English skills are having a hard time accessing Medicare's new prescription program. By Rong-Gong Lin II Times Staff Writer March 27, 2006 More than a month had gone by, and 81-year-old Lee Sun Hua still didn't have his medication. In January, a pharmacist had refused to give the Koreatown resident his drugs, erroneously telling Lee he needed his new Medicare drug prescription card. He waited for weeks, and even had a volunteer at a Koreatown nonprofit agency call to request it. But it never came. Bothered by a chronic stomach ailment, Lee called his Medicare drug plan provider, Blue Cross, two weeks ago to inquire again. "I don't speak English," he said, reading from a tip sheet prepared by the nonprofit, which spelled out the pronunciation of English phrases using Korean syllables. "Korean, please." "We don't have any Korean speakers here," came the blunt response, as Lee recalled the conversation. "Does anyone over there speak English?" If native English speakers are having trouble grasping the new Medicare prescription drug plan, many immigrants with little or no English ability are far worse off. As the May 15 deadline for picking a plan approaches, elderly immigrants are swamping clinics, community centers and pharmacies, unable to read the litany of Medicare-related mailings and or even ask questions about their new plans. "It's driving them nuts!" said Victor Law, owner of Alpha Pharmacy in Alhambra, who has spent countless hours helping many Chinese-speaking seniors. "Oftentimes they have a whole bunch of letters in their hand and we have to review them and explain to them what is going on." Some seniors who have lived and worked in the United States for years resent feeling excluded from a national program. The problem appears to be not just Medicare, the government health program for the elderly and the disabled, but many of the private plans that contract with it to provide services. "Medicare Part D is run by the taxes that I paid by working hard when I was younger," Lee said through a translator. The retired facilities manager for a Korean-language school, who has lived in the United States for 20 years, added: "I had a hope that the United States would deal with my case appropriately because I have paid my taxes appropriately." Although millions of beneficiaries have obtained prescriptions with no trouble, the program got off to a stumbling start in January after several hundred thousand patients ran into billing problems at the pharmacy counter. In many cases, pharmacists could not determine whether a person was covered. In others, patients were charged too much. Complaints about language barriers have arisen across the country, but the issue is particularly acute in California, where the primary language of one in five residents — and about the same fraction of low-income seniors — is not English, said Jeanne Finberg, a California-based attorney for the National Senior Citizens Law Center. "The federal government has really failed this population," Finberg said. "How outrageous is it that so many of the Medicare beneficiaries are unable to understand any part of this program?" Medicare officials said last week that they have been doing outreach at many senior centers, including those that serve non-English-speakers. In addition, they have helped fund nonprofit groups that offer toll-free call lines catering to those who speak Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. "We have room for improvement," said Anne Avery, health insurance specialist for Medicare. "We are just starting a lot more to find out what vehicles we can use to reach out to these people." Companies providing drug prescription plans under Medicare must accommodate non-English-speaking callers, said Peter Ashkenaz, a Medicare spokesman. And when calling Medicare directly, a beneficiary can request a translator through the toll-free line, (800) MEDICARE (633-4227). But the request generally needs to be made in English — which stops some immigrants cold. Except for an option to press two for Spanish, callers must listen to an English menu of options — with no hint of how to reach a Korean or other language operator. There's nothing to suggest that interpreters are available. Law, the Alhambra pharmacist, said he was baffled by why Medicare didn't directly set up language-specific phone lines. If that had been done, non-English-speaking beneficiaries "wouldn't be so frustrated," he said. For now, "they don't even know where to go for help." One day last week, several elderly women walked into the nonprofit Korean Resource Center in Los Angeles' Koreatown, each intent on getting help with her Medicare drug benefit. Most had simple questions. Amy Chin, 73, a retired dry-cleaning shop owner, wanted to confirm with her plan how much her medication would cost. The Koreatown resident was unable to do this on her own. "I tried," she said in Korean. "I waited a long time, but I can't do it." The resource center's goal is not to simply provide interpretation services, said health-access director Shannon Lee, but to help seniors learn to manage their drug plans independently. With a reporter and Korean center staffer listening in, Chin again called up her plan, Humana, hoping to reach an interpreter. She reviewed the advice provided to her in writing by the center: Continue pressing zero until you get to a live person. Then say, "Korean, please." Chin waited 15 minutes, hung up, called back and waited half an hour more before an interpreter came on the line, and that was only after the center volunteer intervened to make the request again. Kyong Lee's call was much shorter. The 65-year-old Downey resident, who wanted to get her drug prescription card number, reached a Unicare representative within minutes. "We cannot help you," the representative said, loudly and slowly. "Sadly, we do not have an interpreter's line …. Thank you for calling Unicare." Though the Korean center helped Lee to finally get answers to her questions, she was livid. "My heart was beating out of my chest out of frustration," she said in Korean. "I felt closed off. I felt disabled." She later signed up for a prescription drug plan through another company that offers better access to interpreters. A spokesman for WellPoint, the parent company of Unicare and Blue Cross, said the company's policy is to promptly provide interpreters when they are requested. "That's not the way it's supposed to work," said Robert Alaniz, a Thousand Oaks-based vice president of corporate communications, after hearing about the experiences of Lee Sun Hua and Kyong Lee. He said supervisors at call centers were reminded Friday of the policy, after The Times inquired. Alaniz said his company has interpreters for several languages on hand, and for other languages, operators can call on a live interpretation service. "We'd like to apologize," Alaniz said. "We're going to do anything we can to shore up those capabilities so people who do not speak English do not have to go through that experience again." The experience is typical of many plans, said the Korean center's Shannon Lee. Sometimes the operators "get fed up and say, can you at least speak a little English?" Lee said. "They don't want to go through the hassle of finding a translator." Sometimes even interpreters have difficulty translating Medicare concepts if they're unfamiliar with the program, said David Lipschutz, an attorney at California Health Advocates. For now, nonprofit groups such as the Korean Resource Center are trying to fill the gap. But some of the center's Korean-speaking seniors remain wary of Medicare and its plan providers. In Korean, Chin said: "It doesn't seem it's possible for me to call Medicare and the insurance company at home, by myself."
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#1. To: robin (#0)
OMG, where do I start? "The federal government has really failed this population," Finberg said. "How outrageous is it that so many of the Medicare beneficiaries are unable to understand any part of this program?" *****Honey, most Americans who speak English can't even understand it. A spokesman for WellPoint, the parent company of Unicare and Blue Cross, said the company's policy is to promptly provide interpreters when they are requested. "That's not the way it's supposed to work," said Robert Alaniz, a Thousand Oaks-based vice president of corporate communications, after hearing about the experiences of Lee Sun Hua and Kyong Lee. *****That's a crock. They outsource to people like our company, and gee, you know what? Kentucky isn't exactly full of people who can translate Korean, we don't even have a spanish speaking rep. "Medicare Part D is run by the taxes that I paid by working hard when I was younger," Lee said through a translator. The retired facilities manager for a Korean-language school, who has lived in the United States for 20 years, added: "I had a hope that the United States would deal with my case appropriately because I have paid my taxes appropriately." ******Gee Whiz, 20 years and you could not even bother to learn English? I have no sympathy. Lee called his Medicare drug plan provider, Blue Cross, two weeks ago to inquire again. ******You and about 10,000 others that I have to talk to. Wait your turn.
Impeach Bush. The man was lost and then he was found and now he's more lost than ever -- and he's taking us into the darkness with him. It's time to remove him. By Garrison Keillor [2006-03-01]
Been extra busy have work have you?
”We have room but for one flag... We have room but for one language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is the loyality to the American people.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Just slightly. I'll be doing overtime till the end of May at the minimum.
Impeach Bush. The man was lost and then he was found and now he's more lost than ever -- and he's taking us into the darkness with him. It's time to remove him. By Garrison Keillor [2006-03-01]
I tried to sign up for the medicare prescription plan and somehow was tranfered to a japanese sci-fi film.
Thanks for Prohibition and the war against drugs. Thanks for a country where nobody's allowed to mind their own business. Thanks for a nation of finks. Yes, thanks for all the memories-- all right let's see your arms!- William S Burroughs
What a mess. I suspect a lot of seniors won't know the bad decision they made ( or lack of any decision ) until their health fails in some way and they need 5 new prescriptions.
”We have room but for one flag... We have room but for one language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is the loyality to the American people.” - Theodore Roosevelt
I find it far more outrageous that someone could live in this country for 20 years AND NOW LEARN HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH!!! If they haven't learned to speak English by now - f'em!
"I woke up in the CRAZY HOUSE."
It's all about expectations.
”We have room but for one flag... We have room but for one language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is the loyality to the American people.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Try 40, it's completely normal in the SouthWest.
”We have room but for one flag... We have room but for one language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is the loyality to the American people.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Unless you are working in it, or trying to apply for it, no one really has a clue what a freeking mess it really is. Typical screw ups of a government program. I deal with people who applied clear back in December and still are not in the system. The only good thing about it, well two actually, is some (not a majority) people will actually be helped by it and 2, the seniors are PISSED off royally at the Idiot In Chief over this.
Impeach Bush. The man was lost and then he was found and now he's more lost than ever -- and he's taking us into the darkness with him. It's time to remove him. By Garrison Keillor [2006-03-01]
Sigh. I dunno, Robin, I just feel like we've gotten hit from every which way and we have virtually no leadership. There's no common sense. When are WE going to start pouring into the streets in the millions and reclaim our country????
"I woke up in the CRAZY HOUSE."
Very good news!
”We have room but for one flag... We have room but for one language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is the loyality to the American people.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Managing Expectaions, yes, I remember well the time a former employer paid a consulting firm 8 million dollars to print up 27 posters bearing that phrase. Well worth it, they though it was too, right to the day they fired all their programmers. I thought it a silly thing to do, but who am I to say, I work for a living. Those guys ot even cushier jobs once that firm went belly up.
Thanks for Prohibition and the war against drugs. Thanks for a country where nobody's allowed to mind their own business. Thanks for a nation of finks. Yes, thanks for all the memories-- all right let's see your arms!- William S Burroughs
When the middle-class no longer exists and they no longer worry about what the neighbors might think of them holding a sign at Main and Broadway.
”We have room but for one flag... We have room but for one language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is the loyality to the American people.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Some reps have had to be *cautioned* about agreeing so whole heartedly with the seniors Bush bashing going on during the call. I thought it was a hoot.
Impeach Bush. The man was lost and then he was found and now he's more lost than ever -- and he's taking us into the darkness with him. It's time to remove him. By Garrison Keillor [2006-03-01]
The connected ones are always promoted, always. Especially if they screw-up. Look at Smirk.
”We have room but for one flag... We have room but for one language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is the loyality to the American people.” - Theodore Roosevelt
That is a hoot.
”We have room but for one flag... We have room but for one language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is the loyality to the American people.” - Theodore Roosevelt
#2. To: justlurking (#1)
#3. To: robin (#2)
Been extra busy have work have you?
#4. To: robin (#0)
#5. To: justlurking (#3)
#6. To: robin (#0)
"The federal government has really failed this population," Finberg said. "How outrageous is it that so many of the Medicare beneficiaries are unable to understand any part of this program?"
#7. To: Dakmar (#4)
#8. To: mehitable (#6)
#9. To: robin (#5)
What a mess.
#10. To: robin (#8)
#11. To: justlurking (#9)
The only good thing about it, well two actually, is some (not a majority) people will actually be helped by it and 2, the seniors are PISSED off royally at the Idiot In Chief over this.
#12. To: robin (#7)
#13. To: mehitable (#10)
When are WE going to start pouring into the streets in the millions and reclaim our country?
#14. To: robin (#11)
#15. To: Dakmar (#12)
#16. To: justlurking (#14)
Some reps have had to be *cautioned* about agreeing so whole heartedly with the seniors Bush bashing going on during the call. I thought it was a hoot.
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