"Medicare Prescription Drugs: Decoding Medicare Part D" a Minnesota Public Television special will premier Thanksgiving weekend on public television stations throughout Minnesota.

The hour-long special is co-hosted by former U.S. Senator David Durenberger and Fred De Sam Lazaro of Twin Cities Public Television and the NewsHour. This unique special is a partnership with the Minnesota Senior Federation and the National Institute on Health Policy.

The show features five profiles of Minnesota seniors who share their situations in regards to the new drug benefit at the Senior Federation's Health Plan Information Center. 

They are:

Don Brock of Litchfield who has no prescription drug coverage, moderate drug costs and is currently purchasing drugs from Canada;

Jerolyn Pofahl of St. Paul, who is eligible for extra financial help from Medicare Part D, has moderately high drug costs and currently receives drugs from patient assistance programs;

Gloria Massey, also of St. Paul, has moderate drug costs which are currently covered by supplemental Medigap insurance with "non-creditable" drug coverage;

Ellen Ruffin of Minneapolis has catastrophic drug costs including an expensive new brand-name drug and is going under Medicare in December as a person under age 65; and
Margaret Boardman of White Bear Lake who has drug coverage from a former employer's plan that has been deemed "creditable."

These situations are commented on during the special by an expert panel composed of Durenberger, Dr. Stephen Schondelmeyer of the University of Minnesota, Kelli Jo Greiner of Minnesota Board on Aging, Janine Stiles, health programs manager of the Minnesota Senior Federation and Peter Wyckoff, director of the Federation's Metro Region. Questions are taken from a "live" studio audience.

"Decoding Medicare Part D" premieres on TPT Channel 17 on Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. It will be rebroadcast on public television stations throughout Minnesota in later November and December. Check local listings or the Senior Federation web site (mnseniors.org) for dates and times.

"Decoding Medicare Part D" was made possible with the support of BlueCross/BlueShield of Minnesota, United Health Care-AARP Medicare RX, UCare Minnesota, Humana, Medica, Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance along with Elim Care and Presbyterian Homes and Services, HealthPartners and the Minnesota Board on Aging-Senior Linkage Line. The Medicare Justice Coalition coordinated the production.

Click here for an additional online article - Decoding Part D - Public Television Special

Addtional showtimes scheduled