Illinois (doesn't) Cares Rx

Residents are beginning to receive notices from the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, State of Illinois, that effective June 30, 2012, the Illinois Cares Rx program is ending.

If you participate in the Illinois (doesn't) Cares Rx Program or are the caregiver for a senior citizen or another Illinois resident who has been receiving benefits from the program, you will want to pay close attention to the message inside. If you are the helper or advocate, then help them preserve any Medicare Part D insurance they have, because now it will require the person to begin paying for the Part D insurance.

For many persons, payment of the $30-40 monthly premium was a vital part of their program of protection. Isn't it nice that the State of Illinois deems two weeks' notice as adequate? And how many will be forced to give up their Part D Insurance because they cannot afford the $30-40 monthly premium?

The envelope will look like junk mail. The one I saw bore no notice of urgency or importance. It appeared to have been run through a cheap printer with dot-matrix quality printing. I would guess that many will be discarded upon delivery, unopened.

Do you suppose that no bureaucrat thought of adding an "Urgent" or "Important Notice - really!" imprint on the envelope? I guess not. His job is probably secure for a few more months.