This February 2006 Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll finds that 45% of seniors say they have enrolled or plan to enroll in a drug plan, 29% say they do not intend to enroll in a drug plan and another 23% say they are uncertain. The majority of those who do not plan to enroll say they have another program or plan that helps pay for their prescriptions.

Though more seniors are enrolling in a drug plan each month, the tracking poll also shows that seniors have become less enthusiastic about the new Medicare drug benefit over the past six months.  Seniors are now almost twice as likely to say they view the benefit unfavorably (45%) as favorably (23%). That finding reflects a shift since August, when seniors’ positive views peaked and they were as likely to view the benefit favorably (32%) as unfavorably (32%).   

The nationally representative tracking poll – the 11th in a series that comprises three large surveys and eight smaller tracking polls such as this one – was conducted among 262 seniors from Feb. 2 to Feb. 7, just more than a month after the Jan. 1 start date for the Medicare drug plan.

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