By Robyn Shelton The Orlando Sentinel
ORLANDO, Fla., Feb 01, 2006 (The Orlando Sentinel)

Donald Mauer used to pay $40 for a two-month supply of the potent cancer medication keeping him alive. The next time he goes to the pharmacy, Mauer will have to shell out nearly $900 for just one month's worth of the same medicine - thanks to the new Medicare prescription-drug program.

The retired teacher and his wife have been struggling for weeks to comprehend the change.

"I have no idea now what we'll do - we can't afford it," said Mauer's wife of 58 years, Aileen. "I guess I could put it on a credit card, but then I'll get charged interest, and it will be even more expensive."

Mauer, 77, is an example of the millions of seniors and disabled nationwide whose drug expenses will increase this year under the Medicare program billed as a money-saver.

People in many situations are being affected, even the very poor whose drugs used to be covered entirely by state programs but who now must make copayments of $3 or $5 per prescription. The small amounts add up quickly for those who take dozens of medications and live on meager incomes.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Politicians promoting the new plan, called Medicare Part D, promised it would help reduce the drug expenses for people who enrolled.

Yet a recent poll shows that six in 10 people in the new plans say they have not seen significant savings. And one study estimates that as many as 7.4 million people will see their costs go up.

The landmark drug benefit is the first time Medicare has provided coverage for prescriptions outside of the hospital. All 42 million elderly or disabled Americans on Medicare are eligible to join a Part D plan offered by private insurance companies.

As of Jan. 13, about 3.6 million seniors voluntarily signed up. An additional 6.2 million automatically were switched from state coverage for their medicines to the new plan. And 4.5 million others are getting coverage through Medicare managed-care plans.

Insurance officials say most seniors stand to save hundreds or thousands of dollars this year with the coverage.

On average, a senior with one chronic condition such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease can expect to save about $400 annually, according to a recent analysis by The Lewin Group, a healthcare-policy-research company. And someone with four or more chronic medical problems should save about $1,700 annually, according to the study.