title: Roles of community helpers in using the Medicare Part D benefit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the experiences of low-income Part D beneficiaries with mental illness and their use of community helpers to access prescription medicines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 Medicare beneficiaries with mental illness in community settings. The transcripts were analyzed for content related to community help-seeking and attitudes toward family and professional helpers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medicare Part D beneficiaries with mental illness used the assistance of community helpers extensively. Pharmacists, nurses, community mental health case managers, and family members assisted beneficiaries with understanding their benefit plans and interpreting paperwork from plans and government agencies. Community helpers also assisted with tasks related to medication adherence. Mental health consumers appreciated the help that they received from family members and professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This group of Medicare beneficiaries would have experienced difficulty in using their benefits and obtaining their medication without considerable help from professionals and family members.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. hensleym@augsburg.edu
authors.forename: Melissa Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hensley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003150:Community Health Workers; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits; D008297:Male; D054524:Medicare Part D / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011203:Poverty; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024382:Professional Role; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs