This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The nation's new Medicare prescription drug plan is getting a thumbs down from many Utahns, a new survey shows.

The survey, presented Friday to the Utah Commission on Aging, also found information about the new drug plan is not getting through to many Utahns who are eligible for the program or soon will be.

Those findings confirm what some advocates say: Older Utahns may have heard of the program, but few understand it. Rob Ence, state director AARP Utah, said 95 percent of seniors at a recent educational meeting he attended were hearing about the drug plan for the first time.

"They need someone to sit down one-on-one and talk through their issues," said Alan Ormsby, director of the state Division of Aging and Adult Services. "I don't think that is being done."

The lack of information was particularly pronounced among those ages 55 to 65, prompting Maureen Henry, commission co-chairwoman, to suggest someone should target people who are approaching, but not yet eligible, for Medicare.

The new program, rolled out on Jan. 1, allows Medicare beneficiaries to sign up with private insurers for prescription drug coverage, but the plan's introduction has been stymied by glitches. Still, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reports more than 50 percent of Utah seniors have picked a plan, said Shauna O'Neil, director of Salt Lake County Aging Services.

Views on the Medicare prescription drug plan were just one of the surprises in the study, which was commissioned by the CareSource Charitable Foundation and conducted by Dan Jones & Associates Inc. The firm surveyed 400 Utahns 55 or older in January; the survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.

Many Utahns, the researchers found, don't know where to turn for helpful information about medical care, financial assistance, meals, assisted living or hospice services.

The commission has made providing better access to resources one of its goals. In a separate presentation, 211 Information Director Josh Pederson acknowledged that accessing community services is as challenging as navigating I-15's notorious "spaghetti bowl." He outlined changes in the works that may make that process easier for seniors and their caregivers, which will be available through the 211 call center and online at http://www.utahcares.utah.gov.

Also worrisome is that 31 percent of those surveyed said they have no one to rely on to manage their affairs if they are incapacitated.

Maureen Henry, committee co-chairwoman, said the state has just two public guardians available to assist seniors who end up in that situation. "They do a good job but they are maxed out," she said.

Gina Coccimiglio, director of clinical services at CareSource, said the foundation had two objectives in mind in commissioning the study: to influence public policy and help guide its outreach services. CareSource provides home health and hospice services.

Among the study's "feel-good" findings, she said, were that most older Utahns are satisfied with their lives and optimistic about the future. They also report their health as good or excellent.

A majority expect to stay in their current homes for the remainder of their lives, something that will likely increase demand for in-home services.

Rep. Pat Jones, D-Salt Lake, said that optimism is "nice" but may be unrealistic given what tends to happen as life plays out and impacts health, finances and independence.

"It is time we gave people a dose of reality about what is going to happen," said Jones, who sponsored the legislation that created the commission and is a co-owner of Dan Jones & Associates.