COMARA News Dec 13, 2009 From the "Benefits Desk" - Prescription drug coverage Provided by Jack Hannon _______________________________________________________________________ CALL FOR ACTION - For those currently receiving prescription drug coverage through the Lockheed Martin medical plans. Call, write or e-mail your two U.S. Senators and tell them that you support the continuation of the $600 annual tax credit per employee to employers who offer prescription drug benefits to their retirees, thereby preserving the system where some seven million retirees have their drug costs covered by private plans at lower cost to the federal government than if they were all in Medicare Plan D. An article by Tom Scully, former COMSAT Government Affairs staffer, in the Wall Street Journal on Friday, December 4, indicates that this "subsidy" is threatened by a possible amendment to the health care reform bill in the Senate. You will recall that Lockheed Martin sends all those participating in a retiree medical plan an annual letter stating that the prescription drug coverage offered by the company provides "comparable coverage" as compared to the Medicare Plan D program. However, I am of the opinion that the Lockheed plan is substantially better than the Medicare Plan D plan, and well worth fighting for. Read the rest of Jack Hannon's discussion in the Benefits section of the COMARA web site: www.comara.org Jack also provides links to your senator and congressman. See the Scully article at Wall Street Journal - "Medicare Part D 'Reforms' Will Harm Seniors" WSJ-Scully article _______________________________________________________________________ COMARA - PO Box 34594 - Bethesda, MD 20827 Website: www.comara.org